STUDIES 


ON     THE 


Book  of  Revelation 


BY 

I.    RODE 


TROVE  ALL  THINGS  :    HOLD  FAST  THAT  WHICH  IS  GOOD." — Paul 


OAKLAND,  CAL, 

j£u0cbla   pubtisbinci   Company 

50Q  Walsworth  Ave. 
1902 


THE     E:XTRA:VCE      OF     THY      \VOKOS 
GIVETH     LIGHT." 


INTRODUCTION 


THERE  is,  said  king  Solomon,  "no  end  to  the  making  of 
books."  What  would  the  wise  man  have  said  if  living  in 
our  day  ?  when  literature  by  the  train  load  is  circulating 
to  the  remotest  corners  of  civilization. 

God's  blessed  book,  the  Bible,  had,  during  many  cen- 
turies, been  concealed  in  dark  corners  of  Catholic  monas- 
teries, read  by  none  but  the  clergy,  and  little  appreciated 
by  them  ;  when,  thanks  to  merciful  Heaven,  Martin 
Luther  and  other  God-fearing  men,  brought  it  out  from  its 
hiding  place,  and  gave  it  to  the  common  people  in  the 
language  they  spoke  ;  and,  thanks  to  the  art  of  printing, 
soon  learned  to  read. 

This  literary  revolution  causes  the  Bible  to  be  read, 
searched,  and  perused  as  no  other  book  ever  was  or  will 
be,  shining  a  beacon  light  on  the  weary  pilgrim's  path, 
inspiring  faith,  hope,  and  love  ;  and  peace  of  conscience 
because  a  peace  with  God,  where  formerly  reigned  total 
darkness  and  gloom  of  deepest  despair. 

It  must  not  however   be  forgotten    that    men,  alas    too 
often,    guided    by    preconceived     notions,    twist    its    con- 
tents to  their  own   ideas,  instead    of  framing    their  minds 
to    "Thus    saith    the    LORD."       This    being    so,    and    the 
v  i  i  i 


753464 


STUDIES 


ON    THE 


BOOK    OF    REVELATION 


CHAPTER    I. 

OPENING  the  book,  its  sublimity  at  once  appears  : 
"  The  Revelation  of  JESUS  Christ,  which  God  gave  unto 
Him."  Mark  this  statement,  "  God  gave  it  to  JESUS."  It 
is  evident  from  this,  that  whatever  knowledge  our  Savior 
previously  had  of  those  things,  the  language  is  framed  by 
the  Father  ;  hence,  that  vision,  being  from  God,  and  sent 
to  spiritually  minded  children  of  God,  must  be  spiritually 
discerned. 

John  saw  seven  churches,  but  in  what  form  ?  A  modern 
artist,  endeavoring  to  .paint  what  John  saw,  would,  most 
likely  draw  sev.en  houses,  or  rooms,  filled  with  people 
gazing  at  a  man  ip  a  puipit  ,  but  John  sees  seven  candle- 
stirka  ;  seemingly,  at  first,  a  queer  representation,  yet, 
when  understood,  a  very  simple  and  most  significant  em- 
blem ;  because  the  church  of  Christ  is  the  means  of  light 
to  the  world.  (Matt.  v.  14-16). 

In  the  midst  of  these  light  bearers  walks  the  representa- 
tive of  our  Savior.  This  is  significant  of  our  Lord's  never 
6 


HOOK    OF     REVELATION  7 

ceasing  presence  among  His  faithful :    "  Lo,  I  am  with  you 
alway,  unto  the  end  of  the  age."     Matt,  xxviii.  20. 

But  why  just  seven  churches  ?  there  were  at  time 
through  the  labor  of  Paul  and  the  rest  of  them  doubtless 
hundred  of  churches,  why  then  that  limited  number  ? 
Seven,  being,  in  holy  writ,  the  symbol  of  completeness, 
it  symbolizes  in  this  case  the  church  of  Christ  as  a  whole, 
even  to  the  remotest  corners  of  the  earth. 

Further,  they  were  all  Gentile  churches.  It  may  be 
argued  that  Jerusalem  having  been  destroyed,  which  is 
perhaps  true,  and  Israel  scatterred  to  the  four  winds,  they 
had  no  organized  church  anywhere.  But,  we  ask,  why  was 
the  Revelation  not  given  at  an  earlier  date  ?  Our 
Heavenly  Father  works  all  things  systematically,  and  the 
fact  that  Israel  as  a  nation  is  entirely  ignored  in  the  sym- 
bol of  the  Lord's  church,  sent  directly  from  the  Father,  is 
a  strong  proof  that  their  work  was  done; 'that  their  pre- 
eminence as  a  nation  had  ceased  ;  that  time  had  arrived 
predicted  by  the  prophet,  saying: 

"  I  will  number  you  to  the  sword,  and  ye  shall  bow  down  to  slaugh- 
ter :  because  when  I  called,  ye  did  not  answer  ;  and  when  I  spake,  ye 
did  not  hear  ;  ...  ye  shall  cry  for  sorrow  of  heart,  and  howl  for 
vexation  of  spirit  ;  and  ye  shall  leave  your  name  for  a  curse  unto  my 
chosen  :  for  the  Lord  God  shall  slay  thee,  and  call  his  servants  by 
another  name." — Isaiah,  Ixv.  12-15, 

Let  any  one  who  considers  this  a  picture  of  imagination 
follow  Paul  in  Gal.  iv.  19-31  :  Hagar,  in  prototype  is 
driven  from  Abraham's  dwelling  with  her  son,  never  re- 
turning. So  Israel,  because  of  wickedness,  was  expelled 
from  their  city  and  their  land  ;  never  again  to  possess  it. 
Type  and  antitype  must  correspond,  or  the  former  loses  its 
import.  But  as  Ismael  in  the  wilderness  drank  of  the 
fountain  pointed  out  by  the  angel,  and  quenching  his  thirst, 


8  STUDIES    ON    THE 

did  live,  in  "  the  wilderness  of  Paran," — the  mountains, 
(Gen.  xxi.  9-21),  so  may  Israel  in  this  wilderness  of  the 
mountains,  i.  e.  nations,  drink  from  the  fount  of  life;  to 
which  God's  messenger,  the  gospel  of  life  in  Christ  Jesus, 
is  ever  pointing.  Other  salvation  or  restoration  for  them 
there  is  none;  they  are  no  longer  separated  from  other 
nations,  the  middle  wall  of  partition  between  Jew  and 
Gentile,  having  been  broken  down.  Eph.  ii.  14.  The 
prophesies  of  Jeremiah,  Ezekiel,  and  others,  about  the 
return  of  Israel  to  Palestine  after  exile  among  the  nations, 
have  had  their  literal  fulfillment  when  the  nation  returned 
from  Babylon;  and  all  Israel  (again)  dwelt  in  their  cities. 
Ezra  ii.  70;  also,  vi.  17.  The  land  of  Palestine  was,  in 
our  Lord's  day,  rilled  with  men  and  beasts,  as  foretold  by 
the  prophet,  (Jer.  xxxi.  27),  and  the  twelve  tribes  did  in 
that  day  instantly  serve  God  day  and  night  in  the  hope  of 
their  God  given  promise.  (Acts  xxvi.  7). 

There  is  much  more  to  be  said  along  this  line,  but  the 
above  will  suffice  for  our  present  purpose,  as  evidence  why 
Israel  were  not  separately  chosen  among  the  seven 
churches,  as  they  certainly  would  have  been  if  still  possess- 
ing national  pre-eminence  as  claimed  by  Chris  tadelphians 
and  other  Age-to-come  advocates. 

The  communion  cup,  "  The  cup  of  the  New  Covenant 
in  My  blood  (our  Savior's  blood"),  Luke  xxii.  20),  is  a 
farce  if  the  New  Covenant  has  not  been  established. 
And  if  it  has  been  established,  their  restoration  is  in  the 
past;  for  the  Lord  never  promised  to  make  a  covenant 
with  them  in  their  exile. 

John  was  instructed  to  send  letters  to  each  of  the  seven 
churches;  and  not  only  that,  but  the  letters  were  dictated 
in  full,  each  one  ending  with  a  promise  of  reward  for 
faithful  service.  But  as  those  seven  churches  represent  the 


BOOK    OF     REVELATION  9 

fullness  of  our  Lord's  church  throughout  all  the  earth, 
each  child  of  God  has  the  right  to  apply  all  of  those 
promises  unto  himself  as  if  given  to  him  or  her  personally. 

Let  us  then,  dear  reader,  not  only  thus  apply  them, 
but  also  heed  the  Lord-given  exhortations;  lest,  forgetful 
of  duty,  we  come  short  of  the  reward.  Each  letter  has  in 
it  the  promise,  "  To  him  that  overcometh;"  none  others 
are  counted  in. 


10  STUDIES    ON    THE 


CHAPTER  II. 


THE  HUNDRED    AND    FORTY    AND    FOUR    THOUSAND." 

"  And  I  saw  another  angel  ascend  from  the  sunrising,  having  the 
seal  of  the  living  God  ;  and  he  cried  with  a  great  voice  to  the  four 
angels,  to  whom  it  was  given  to  hurt  the  earth  and  the  sea,  saying  ; 
Hurt  not  the  earth,  neither  the  sea,  nor  the  trees,  till  we  have  sealed 
the  servants  of  our  God  in  their  foreheads.  And  I  heard  the  number 
of  them  which  were  sealed,  an  hundred  and  forty  and  four  thousand,. 
sealed  out  of  all  the  tribes  of  Israel.  .  .  .  And  after  these 
things  I  saw,  and  behold,  a  great  multitude,  which  no  man  could 
number,  of  all  nations,  and  tribes,  and  people,  and  tongues,  standing 
before  the  Lamb,  arrayed  in  white  robes,  and  palms  in  their  hands."  — 
Rev.  vii.  2-9. 

"  And  I  saw,  and,  behold,  a  Lamb  standing  on  mount  Zion,  and 
with  Him  an  hundred  and  forty  and  four  thousand,  having  His 
Father's  name  written  in  their  foreheads.  .  .  ,  And  I  saw 
another  angel  flying  in  mid  heaven,  having  the  everlasting  gospel 
to  preach  unto  them  that  dwell  on  the  earth,  to  every  nation,  and 
tribe,  and  tongue,  and  people."  —  Rev.  xiv.  1-6. 

THE  Book  of  God,  plain,  when  rightly  interpreted,  has, 
by  human  tradition,  been  so  perverted  and  mystified,  that 
many  an  uninstructed  church  member  actually  fears  con- 
templating its  contents  ;  the  Revelation  particularly  is 
looked  upon  as  an  absolutely  impenetrable  mystery,  in- 
comprehensible as  a  teacher,  and  valueless  as  an  exhorter. 
But  even  if  admitting  its  high  metaphorical  expressions  to 
be  of  less  value,  because  more  difficult  to  understand,  than 
the  plainer  New  Testament  writings;  it  is,  to  the  advanced 


BOOK    OF     REVELATION  .  II 

scholar  and  devout  child  of  God,  a  source  of  consolation, 
strengthening  of  faith;  nor  can  it  have  failed  in  its  mission 
even  in  the  day  of  its  issue,  as  we  shall  see. 

The  "woman,"  the  church,  the  Lamb's  bride,  (Rev.  xix. 
7,  8;  xxi.  2),  was  about  the  time  the  Revelation  was  written 
expelled  from  her  home  in  Jerusalem,  and  driven  abroad 
not  only  homeless,  but  surrounded  by  hosts  of  bitter  ene- 
mies, seeking  her  life  in  the  countries  whithersoever  she 
went.  The  spirit  of  Judaism  that  clung  so  tenaciously  to 
her  in  Jerusalem,  was  not  fully  shaken  off  even  among  Gen- 
tile converts;  as  Paul's  Galatian  epistle  plainly  testifies. 
And  even  Paul,  the  powerful  Gentile  apostle,  at  times 
failed  in  the  eyes  of  the  people,  to  cope  with  the  Judaistic 
gospel  perverters,  as  is  evident  from  the  council  at  Jerusa- 
lem, called  because  of  strife  at  Antioch.  Acts  xv.  1-31. 

Under  these  conditions  of  contention  and  disturbance, 
John,  exiled  on  Patmos,  was  commissioned  to  promulgate 
his  wonderful  Revelation,  shaking  the  prevailing  spirit  of 
Judaism  and  simultaneously  quelling  all  fears  of  ex- 
tinguishing the  young,  and  seemingly  weak  church,  even 
in  her  exiled  condition. 

A  mistake  made  by  men,  when  reading  the  Revelation, 
is  to  locate  nearly  all  its  visions  as  relating  to  events 
future  in  John's  day.  That  the  Revelator  was  shown  things 
to  come  is  evident,  the  object  being  to  strengthen  the 
church  under  its  terrible  trials;  but  past  as  well  as  present 
events  were  portrayed  in  the  panorama  as  we  shall  see. 

"  Write  the  things  which  thou  hast  seen,  the  things  which  are,  and 
the  things  which  shall  be  hereafter." — Rev.  i,  19. 

Here  the  Revelator  clearly  distinguishes  present  from 
future  events.  And  if  any  person  doubts  that  events  prior 
to  John's  time  are  described  in  the  Revelation  let  him  refer 


12  STUDIES    ON    THE 

to  chapter  xii.,  where  our  Savior's  birth  and  ascension  are 
plainly  set  forth,  as  also  His  crucifixion  in  chapter  v.  6,  9, 
12,  which  events  had,  at  that  time,  all  past  into  history. 
With  these  thoughts  it  is  pertinent  to  inquire,  who  were  the 
"  hundred  and  forty  and  four  thousand"  seen  by  John  ap- 
parently separated  or  distinguished  from  the  rest  of  man- 
kind ?  Taking  the  literal  reading  of  chapter  vii..  we  need 
not  ask  the  question,  being  there  plainly  told  they  are 
twelve  thousand  from  each  tribe  of  Israel;  but  let  us  bear 
in  mind  that  the  book  is  highly  metaphorical.  Chapter  vii. 
3,  says,  that  these  "  hundred  and  forty  and  four  thousand, 
servants  of  God,  were  sealed  ;"  with  what  seal,  or  for  what 
purpose  is  not  here  stated;  but,  chapter  xiv.  i,  declares 
that  they  have  in  their  foreheads  the  name  of  the  Father, 
the  great  Creator.  And  verse  4  of  the  same  chapter,  that 
they  are  a  "firstfruits  unto  God  and  the  Lamb." 

It  is  indeed  queer  that  men  will  locate  this  great  sealing 
as  future  to  our  day.  Ever  since  our  first  parents  were 
clothed  with  coats  of  skin  to  cover  their  nakedness,  (Gen. 
iii.  21),  has  the  message  of  salvation  through  Christ  gone 
abroad  in  the  earth  ;  first,  in  types  and  shadows,  until 
Christ  came,  and  since,  in  plain  unmistakable  language. 
Nineteen  centuries  have  passed  since  our  Lord  paid  the 
ransom  price,  purchasing  the  whole  estate  lost  by  Adam 
and  his  posterity.  Are  we  then  to  believe  that  not  even  a 
firstfruit  has  by  this  time  been  redeemed  or  even  sealed? 
Such  a  position  would  be  most  preposterous,  even  nullify- 
ing our  Lord's  great  redemptive  work. 

John  saw,  as  recorded  in  chapter  vii.,  the  sealing  of 
these,  twelve  thousand  of  each  tribe,  and  after  that  a  great 
multitude  of  all  nations,  standing  before  the  throne,  clothed 
in  white  robes,  and  palms  in  their  hands,  symbolizing  purity 
and  victory.  And  it  would  be  nothing  less  than  blasphemy 


BOOK    OF    REVELATION  13 

to  say  that  no  one  is  pure,  or  has  victory  over  sin  in  this 
age.  But  if  any  person  from  Gentile  nations  has  had  the 
victory,  and  who  dare  dispute  that  fact?  then  surely  "the 
hundred  and  forty  and  four  thousand,"  whoever  they  are> 
were  sealed  in  the  past,  that  work  being  perfected  before 
the  victory  was  given  to  any  of  the  multitude  from  other 
nations. 

Chapter  xiv.  further  says,  that  "the  hundred  and  forty 
and  four  thousand,"  were  not  only  sealed  with  "the  Father's 
name  in  their  foreheads,"  but  "redeemed."  Sealing  and 
redeeming  are  two  different  and  distinct  operations. 
Abraham  was  sealed  in  his  life  time  ;  that  is,  he  was 
chosen  of  God,  and  made  the  father  of  many  nations, 
when  as  yet  having  no  child.  Rom.  iv.  17.  But  knowing 
redemption  from  sin  to  be  a  work  assigned  to  a  future  day, 
he  looked  forward  to  the  day  of  Christ,  and  saw  it  prospec- 
tive! y  with  great  rejoicing.  John  viii.  56. 

"The  hundred  and  forty  and  four  thousand"  were  re- 
deemed from  among  men,  they  being  merely  a  firstfruit,  a 
comparatively  small  lump;  then  another  angel  appeared 
"having  the  everlasting  gospel  to  preach  to  all  nations,, 
tribes,  tongues,  and  peoples. "  Rev.  xiv.  6.  The  gospel 
of  everlasting  life  and  peace  through  our  Lord  Christ 
JESUS,  having  these  many  centuries  been  proclaimed  (o  all 
nations,  and  none  other  need  be  looked  for,  as  none  other 
is  promised,  we  may  be  fully  convinced,  that  the  sealing, 
and  redeeming  of  "the  hundred  and  forty  and  four  thou- 
sand," is  an  event  long  in  the  past.  Millenarians,  Christa- 
delphians  and  others  may  talk  of  gospel  to  be  proclaimed 
in  a  fancied  age-to-come;  but  Paul  tells  us  plainly  that 
any  person,  man,  or  angel  proclaiming  another  gospel  than 
he  proclaimed  "shall  be  accursed."  Gal.  i.  8. 

Our  Savior  stood  in  the    synagogue    of    Nazareth  pro- 


14  STUDIES    ON    THE 

claiming  the  "acceptable  year  of  God,"  not  as  coming  in  a 
future  age,  but  as  then  "at  hand,"  and  present,  the  proph- 
ecy being  at  that  day  fulfilled.  Luke  iv.  16-21.  This  also 
accords  with  Paul:  "Now  is  the  accepted  time,  now  is  the 
day  of  salvation."  2  Cor.  vi.  2. 

The  blessed  day  of  salvation,  predicted  by  the  seers  of 
Israel,  sung  of  by  their  poets,  and  longed  for  by  all  God- 
fearing men  among  them,  began  with  our  Lord's  first  ad- 
vent, and  will  continue  only  until  He  returns  from  heaven 
with  power  and  great  glory,  to  make  short  work  of  sin  and 
sinners  in  the  earth.  Rom.  ix.  28.  All  talk  of  salvation 
or  gospel  preaching  after  that  day  has  ended,  is  base  delu- 
sion, founded  on  misconstruction  of  God's  holy  oracles, 
resulting  in  nothing  but  destruction  to  its  followers.  "The 
truth  shall  make  you  free."  John  viii.  32.  A  lie,  no  mat- 
ter how  sincerely  believed,  is  instrumental  of  murder  to  all 
deceived  thereby.  John  viii.  44. 

This  is  the  day  of  salvation,  the  year  of  acceptance  with 
the  Lord.  And  glory  to  the  name  of  God,  who,  in  this  day, 
sends  the  message  of  salvation  the  globe  around,  in  the 
gospel  of  redemption  through  Him  who  died  for  us,  a  law 
fulfilling  ransom,  that  there  is  even  now  mercy  with  God  for 
every  sinner  chosing  to  turn  his  steps  in  search  of  peace, 
and  step  into  covenant  relation  to  God,  even  to  becoming 
"sons  and  daughters  of  the  Lord  Almighty.  "  What  are  glad 
tidings,  if  that  message  is  not?  and  "gospel"  means  "glad 
tidings."  "  How  beautiful  upon  the  mountains  are  the 
feet  of  him  that  bringeth  good  tidings,  that  publisheth 
peace;  that  bringeth  good  tidings  of  good,  that  publisheth 
salvation  ;  that  saith  unto  Zion,  Thy  God  reigneth  !" 
Isa.  lii.  7.  Paul  quotes  this  prophecy  in  Romans  x.  15, 
as  belonging  to  this  age,  and  not  to  a  fancied  future  mil- 
lennium. This  message  of  salvation  through  the  reigning 


BOOK    OF     REVELATION  I 5 

God  of  Israel,  has  now,  in  nineteen  centuries,  been  going 
forth  to  all  nations,  like  a  fish  net,  gathering  good  and  bad, 
to  be  separated  in  the  judgment  day,  (Matt.  xiii.  47-51); 
and  as  this  work  of  gospel  mission  to  all  nations,  was,  in 
John's  great  vision,  subsequent  to  sealing  and  redeeming 
"the  hundred  and  forty  and  four  thousand,"  their  delivery 
certainly  is  in  the  past.  Who  then  are  they?  Let  us  refer, 
first,  to  the  law  that  had  a  shadow  of  good  things  to  come, 
Heb.  x.  i,  and  met  its  antitype  or  fulfillment  in  our  Lord 
Christ  JESUS. 

God  commanded  Israel  to  offer,  as  a  paschal  firstfruit, 
an  omer  *  or  handful,  before  eating  as  much  as  an  ear  of 
green  corn  from  the  year's  crop.  Lev.  xxiii.  10.  Seven 
weeks  from  that  time,  on  the  day  of  Pentecost,  they  were  to 
bring  another  offering,  also  called  firstfruit,  which,  though  it 
may  seem  peculiar,  was  to  be  baked  with  leaven,  Lev.  xxiii. 
15-17  ;  and  four  months  later,  at  the  feast  of  tabernacles, 
when  their  harvest  was  fully  gathered,  they  were  com- 
manded to  bring  their  greatest  offering  of  all.  Lev.  xxiii. 
39-44;  Num.  xxix.  7-40.  Why  should  the  pentecostal 
firstfruits  be  leavened,  in  contradistinction  to  all  other  offer- 
ings? Did  the  law  containing  a  "shadow  of  good  things  to 
come,"  thus  foreshadow  that  anything  unclean  should  be 
presented  to  the  LORD?  and  if  so,  would  it  be  by  Him 
accepted  ?  or,  if  not,  then  what  means  this  pentecostal 
firstfruit,  presented  in  a  leavened  state  ?  The  prophet  Jere- 
miah says:  "Israel  is  holiness  unto  the  LORD,  and  the  first- 
fruits  of  His  increase."  Jer.  ii.  3.  What  is  this  mentioned 
harvest  or  increase  of  which  Israel  is  the  firstfruit?  In  the 
beginning  God  created  the  heavens  and  the  earth,  at  first 
empty  and  barren,  (Gen.  i.  2),  but  even  then,  the  LORD  in 
His  foreknowledge  and  wisdom  rejoiced  in  -the  habitable 

*  See  Note  at  the  end  ot  chapter. 


1 6  STUDIES    ON      THE 

parts  of  the  earth,  and  delighted  in  the  sons  of  men.    Prov. 
viii.  31. 

The  heavens  were,  at  that  time,  the  abode  of  countless 
angelic  hosts,  serving  God  with  holy  fear,  walking  worthy 
of  their  Creator,  and  singing  praises  to  His  holy  name,  as 
they  subsequently  praised  His  only  begotten  Son,  upon 
the  plains  of  Bethlehem;  yet  in  the  midst  of  this  glory  and 
grandeur  of  the  LORD  God  contemplated  another  harvest, 
another  increase  of  holy  beings  to  do  His  bidding,  praise 
His  holy  name,  and  swell  the  joy  of  heaven  ;  hence,  the 
mandate:  "  Let  us  make  man,"  (Gen.  i.  26), — man  immprtal 
and  perfect,  in  our  likeness,  redeemed  and  free  from  sin. 

The  man,  thus  created,  as  also  his  offspring,  transgress- 
ing the  divine  edict,  fell  into  sin  and  pollution,  became  a 
"  leavened"  lump  before  God. 

Thus  far,  God's,  so  to  speak,  contemplated  increase 
seemed  as  if  becoming  a  failure;  the  image  of  God,  wis- 
dom, purity,  and  loftiness  of  spirit,  failed  to  manifest  itself 
upon  a  single  son  or  daughter  of  mortality.  "  All  sinned1 
and  came  short  of  the  glory  of  God."  Rom.  iii.  23.  Then 
appeared  upon  the  scene  our  great  Redeemer,  not  only  a 
son  of  mortality,  but  also  the  Son,  only  begotten  of  God,, 
in  whose  "mouth  was  found  no  guile  ;"  not  so  much  as  an 
accidental  mistake  against  His  Father's  command  can  be 
laid  to  His  charge,  even  His  bitter  enemies  were  silent 
when  challenged  to  convince  Him  of  any  sin.  John  viii.  46. 
Truly  did  He  stand  the  test,  proving  obedient  until  death 
on  the  cruel  cross  ended  His  probation,  and  having, 
through  suffering  and  trials,  been  perfected  to  His  Father's 
likeness,  He  died  out  of  His  earthborn  Adamic  relation, 
and  was  exalted  to  His  Father,  though  for  a  short  time  life- 
less in  the  dust,  becoming  in  reality,  "  the  beginning  of 
God's  creation."  Rev.  iii.  14.  "The  firstfruits  of  them 


BOOK    OF    REVELATION  I  7 

that  slept."     i  Cor.  xv.  20.     "The  image  of  the  invisible 
God,  the  first-born  of  all  [the  new]  creation."  Col.  i.  15. 

Here  then  is  seen  the  antitypical  firstfruit,  the  real 
paschal  offering  typified  by  the  "omer",  .commanded  to  be 
given  to  the  LORD— annually,  before  any  person  could 
consume  as  much  as  an  ear  of  green  corn.  And,  though 
born  under  Adamic  penalty,  He  was,  on  that  eventful  pass- 
over-day  presented  to  God  a  truly  unleavened  offering, 
having,  as  above  stated,  paid  the  penalty  by  dying  to  sin  or 
out  of  sin  relation,  He  became  truly  the  unleavened  be- 
ginning of  God's  creation,  increase,  or  harvest,  none  could 
enter  the  Father's  glory  before  Him.  It  is  thus  seen  whom 
the  paschal  firstfruit  represents,  but  whom  or  what  was 
typified  in  the  pentecostal  leavened  offering,  also  called 
the  firstfruit  ? 

God  selected  the  seed  of  Jacob  above  all  other  nations, 
delivered  them  from  Egyptian  bondage  whither  they  had 
wandered  in  search  of  food.  Carried  them  on  "  eagles' 
wings,"  and  brought  them  unto  Himself.  Ex.  xix.  4.  Not 
that  every  Israelite  became  a  servant  of  God,  but  the  true 
worshippers  among  them  were  God's  chosen  people,  sealed 
during  their  life-time,  the  seal  being  that  of  circumcision, 
testifying  before  heaven  and  earth  that  they  were  God's 
chosen  people,  if  only  having  the  faith  of  Abraham,  their 
great  progenitor  in  works  as  well  as  in  flesh  relation.  From 
these,  of  God's  highly  favored  people,  we  find  the  "hundred 
and  forty  and  four  thousand"  sealed  servants  of  God,  men- 
tioned in  Revelation  vii.  We  may  wonder  at  that  precise 
number,  yet  "twelve  thousand"  from  each  tribe  is  no  more 
wonderful  than  exactly  "twelve  tribes."  Remembering, 
however,  our  dealing  with  apocalyptical  problems,  we  are 
not  necessarily  limited  to  that  number,  but  have  reason  to 

2 


l8  STUDIES     ON     THE 

expect  a  great  many  more,  there  being  in  Elijah's  time 
when  idolatry  occupied  the  high  seat,  no  less  than  "  seven 
thousand"  in  one  generation,  but  as  twelve  times  twelve 
represented  the  square  or  perfection  of  Israel's  thousands, 
the  symbol  is  very  fitting,  showing  the  perfect  one  of  Israel, 
or  the  election,  as  Paul  calls  them,  (Rom.  xi.  7),  who  ob- 
tained mercy  with  God,  or  were  sealed,  while  the  multi- 
tudinous host  of  faithless  idolators,  or  lovers  of  mammon, 
among  them  were  blinded  and  cast  off. 

We  shall  now  proceed  to  notice  the  unanimity  of  Old 
and  New  Testament  writers  in  calling  those  chosen  or 
sealed  Israelites  the  firstfruits;  or,  what  signifies  the  same 
thing,  beginning  of  God's  increase. 

First :  God  told  them,  through  Moses  the  mediator,  that 
they  should  be  to  Him  a  peculiar  treasure,  a  holy  nation, 
a  kingdom  of  priests,  if  keeping  His  law,  and  abiding  in 
His  covenant.  Ex.  xix.  5,  6.  The  LORD  had  carried  them  on 
"eagles'  wings,"  and  brought  them  unto  Himself,  (verse  4), 
and  now,  when  they  promised  to  obey  His  voice,  and  keep 
the  covenant  He  was  about  to  make  with  them,  He  gave 
them  His  law  embodying  that  covenant,  thus  revealing  to 
them  His  perfect  will,  at  that  time  entirely  unknown  to  all 
the  earth,  as  written  in  the  Psalms :  "  He  showeth  His 
word  unto  Jacob,  His  statutes  and  His  judgments  unto 
Israel.  He  hath  not  dealt  so  with  any  other  nation  : 
and  as  for  His  judgments,  they  have  not  known  them." 
Ps.  cxlvii.  19,  20. 

Israel  was  the  first,  or  rather,  the  only  nation  with  whom 
God  stepped  into  covenant  relation;  to  them,  and  to  them 
only,  was  His  law  proclaimed  that  became  a  "schoolmaster 
to  Christ."  Gal.  iii.  24.  And,  while  the  masses  of  them  in 
all  ages  and  generations,  turned  a  deaf  ear  to  God's  com- 
mand, there  was  at  all  times  a  "remnant"  left  among  them 


BOOK    OF    REVELATION  iQ 

serving  God  with  fervency  and  zeal,  circumcising  not  only 
their  flesh  but  their  hearts  and  ears,  while  all  other  nations 
lay  totally  blinded  in  carnal  lusts,  and  idolatrous  pollution. 
Thus,  Israel  was  indeed  God's  firstfruit,  or  first  people 
among  whom  God  worked  and  began  to  gather  His  in- 
crease. "  Israel  is  holiness  unto  the  LORD,  the  firstfruit  of 
His  increase."  Jer.  ii.  3. 

"  In  that  day  there  shall  be  a  fountain  open  to  the 
house  of  David,  and  to  the  inhabitants  of  Jerusalem,  for 
sin  and  uncleanness. "  Zech.  xiii.  i.  Why  open  this 
fountain  to  the  house  of  David  ?  Why  not  open  it  to  the 
houses  of  Pharaoh,  Abimelech,  Baalim,  or  Cyrus?  These 
were  all  Noah's  legal  descendants  as  well  as  was  David, 
and  certainly  included  in  the  covenant  God  made  with 
him;  never  again  to  drown  the  earth  containing  his  pos- 
terity. The  sin  cleansing  fountain  had,  in  God's  plan  and 
purpose,  to  be  opened  in  David's  house,  because  he  was 
at  the  head  of  God's  beloved  nation — Israel.  Moses  re- 
hearsing the  covenant  unto  Israel,  said  :  "  For  thou  art  a 
holy  people  unto  the  LORD  thy  God  :  the  LORD  thy  God 
hath  chosen  thee  to  be  a  special  people  unto  Himself, 
above  all  people  that  are  upon  the  face  of  the  earth. " 
Deut.  vii.6.  Similar  testimony  is  found  in  Psalm  cvi.  5, 
as  also  in  Psalm  cv.  6,  42,  43.  Many  like  testimonies 
there  are,  but  these  will  suffice  to  show  Israel's  pre- 
eminence and  favor  with  God  above  all  other  nations. 
Never  has  God  so  dealt  with  a  nation  as  with  Israel.  Tak- 
ing them  from  Egyptian  slavery  of  the  most  oppressive 
kind,  He  fed  them  forty  years  in  a  land  not  producing 
food  enough  to  keep  them  from  starvation.  His  holy  arm 
was  ever  seen  in  their  midst,  teaching  them  to  fear  His 
name,  and  lean  upon  Him  alone  in  times  of  tribulation  and 
need,  nor  were  His  works  among  them  done  in  vain. 


20  STUDIES    ON     THE 

God,  whose  spirit  alone  can  teach  men  to  fear  His  name 
and  elevate  their  minds  above  the  brute,  did  not  work 
among  other  nations  at  that  time.  Israel  alone  was 
favored  with  God's  presence;  they,  and  they  only  of  all 
tribes  and  nations,  could  turn  to  God,  learn  His  ways,  and 
be  fitted  for  eternal  life.  They  were  indeed  His  firstfruit, 
the  beginning  of  His  increase,  as  Jeremiah  said. 

This  was  the  LORD'S  plan  of  calling  them  first,  and 
collecting  His  chosen  ones  from  their  midst  before  turning 
to  other  nations.  Our  Savior  declared  He  was  sent  to 
none  but  "The  lost  sheep  of  the  house  of  Israel."  Matt, 
xv.  24.  And  when  sending  out  His  chosen  messengers." 
"two  and  two"  to  proclaim  "the  kingdom  at  hand,"  He  for- 
bade them  entering  Gentile  or  Samaritan  cities,  confining 
their  labors  exclusively  to  "Israel."  Matt.  x.  5.  And 
though  He  was  at  one  time  constrained  by  truth  hungry 
Samaritans  to  enter  their  city  and  abide  their  two  days, — 
at  which  time,  seeing  the  people  gather  around  Him  so 
numerous  that  He  declared  the  fields  ready  for  harvest, 
(John  iv.  35, — we  have  no  record  of  any  harvesting  having 
been  done  there  then.  Eager  as  were  those  Samaritans  to 
hear  His  doctrine  and  ready  to  confess  Him  the  Messiah, 
no  one  outside  of  "Israel"  seems  to  have  been  received  in 
His  flock  at  »that  time.  On  the  contrary,  it  is  recorded, 
(Acts  viii.  14),  that  Samaria  did  not  receive  the  gospel 
until  several  years  had  gone  by.  Why  this  discrimination? 
Why  was  the  heathen  centurion,  who  manifested  greater 
faith  than  any  Israelite,  told  to  go  his  way?  Matt.  viii.  5-13. 
Why  was  he  not  commanded  to  forsake  all,  to  come  along 
and  preach  the  gospel?  Or,  why  was  the  Canaanitish 
woman  received  with  apparent  coldness  in  a  manner  that 
would  have  repulsed  any  person  having  no  more  than 
ordinary  faith?  Matt.  xv.  22-28.  These  are  noteworthy 


BOOK     OF    REVELATION  2  I 

instances,  bearing  ample  testimony  that  the  time  for  Gentile 
harvesting  had  not  yet  come;  that  the  firstfruits  to  betaken 
out  of  Israel  had  not  yet  been  fully  gathered.  The  "  hun- 
dred and  forty  and  four  thousand,"  be  the  number  literal  or 
figurative,  had  not  yet  all  been  sealed,  a  work  that  in  God's 
plan  and  purpose  must  be  done  before  the  message  of  sal- 
vation could  be  dispensed  among  the  nations  abroad. 

Our  Savior,  when  meeting  His  disciples  just  previous  to 
His  ascension,  commissioned  them  "  To  go  abroad  in  all 
the  earth,  preaching  the  gospel  to  all  nations  ;" 
[but],  "to  abide  in  Jerusalem  till  endued  with  power  from 
on  high,"  (Mark  xvi.  15;  Acts  i.  4-13),  a  blessing  they 
received  on  the  day  of  Pentecost,  when  Holy  Spirit  filled 
them  in  a  measure  sufficient  to  stir  up  the  whole  city. 
Then,  and  not  till  then,  could,  in  God's  plan  and  purpose, 
the  message  of  salvation  through  God's  Anointed  Lamb, 
be  sent  to  all  nations,  and  gather  in  the  great  multitude  as 
seen  by  John  in  his  vision,  "  Standing  before  the  Lamb, 
arrayed  in  white  robes  with  palms  in  their  hands."  Rev. 
vii.  9.  "  The  law  contained  a  shadow  of  good  things  to 
come,"  (Heb.  x.  i),  and  we  cannot  fail  to  see  the  most 
striking  similarity;  the  law  with  its  types  and  shadows 
being  a  mirror  reflecting  the  glorious  gospel  substance. 
The  paschal  "firstfruit,"  the  omer,  or  handful  annually  pre- 
sented to  the  Lord  at  passover  time,  did,  as  before  stated, 
represent  "  Christ,  Who  is  our  passover,"  i  Cor.  v.  7;  "and 
firstfruits  of  them  that  slept."  i  Cor.  xv.  20. 

Then  the  pentecostal  firstfruit,  was  presented  to  the 
LORD,  baked  with  "leaven,"  contrary  to  all  other  offerings: 
and  is  not  this  type  fully  borne  out,  or  anti-typified  in  the 
real  literal  fact?  There  were  the  holy,  God-fearing  remnant 
of  Israel,  the  election,  as  Paul  calls  them,  (Rom.  xi.  7),  from 
the  giving  of  the  law  till  our  Savior  ended  His  mission 


22  STUDIES    ON    THE 

among  them,  continually  being  sealed,  presented  to  the 
Lord  as  His  chosen  flock;  that  is,  not  only  were  they 
taught  to  know  the  will  of  God  through  His  divinely  pro- 
claimed law,  but  through  it  they  realized  their  utter  ina- 
bility to  arrive  at  the  LORD'S  perfect  standard  by  their  own 
works;  the  best  of  them  fell  short  of  perfect  law  keeping  as 
it  is  written :  "All  have  sinned  and  come  short  of  the  glory 
of  God."  Rom.  iii.  23.  Hence,  realizing  their  imperfection 
and  shortcoming  before  God,  they  served  Him  with  broken 
hearts  and  contrite  spirits,  (Ps.  xxxiv.  18),  ever  looking  to 
heaven  for  mercy;  longing  for  the  sin  cleansing  fountain  to 
be  opened  in  David's  house,  as  predicted  by  the  prophets; 
even  Abraham,  the  friend  of  God,  realized  his  lost  con- 
dition, and  rejoiced  in  hope  of  that  blessed  sin-cleansing 
day.  John  viii.  56. 

It  is  this  condition  of  mind,  this  broken  heart  and  con- 
trite spirit,  manifesting  itself  in  repentance  from  sin,  and 
faith  toward  a  merciful  heaven,  the  only  source  of  succor, 
that  pleases  God,  and  constitutes  the  seal  placed  upon  His 
chosen  flock,  a  circumcision  of  heart  and  ears,  (Jer.  iv.  4; 
Rom.  ii.  28),  whereof  the  fleshly  circumcision  was  a  type. 
It  should  be  born  in  mind  that  all  chosen  ones  of  Israel, 
prior  to  the  death  of  Christ, — though  thus  sealed  and 
selected  as  the  LORD'S  precious  jewels,  the  perfection  of 
Israel, — lived  and  died  without  being  washed,  or  in  any 
manner  cleansed  from  sin.  Repentance  from,  or  sorrow 
over  sin,  is  not  a  cleansing  from  sin.  Even  though  the 
penitent  sinner  could  at  once  completely  change  his  ways 
and  never  again  commit  an  unlawful  or  carnal  deed,  his 
former  committed  misdeeds  would  still  be  crying  against 
him;  he  would  still  be  enrolled  among  sinners,  the  old 
debt — contracted  in  violating  law  not  having  been  paid; 
that  work  could  only  be  done  by  the  all  atoning  blood  of 


BOOK    OF    REVELATION  23 

Christ;  hence,  they  were  sealed  but  not  redeemed, — pre- 
sented to  God  indeed  a  leavened  offering  as  typified  in  the 
pentecostal  firstfruit,  nor  can  we  fail  to  see  the  striking 
resemblance  in  antitype,  that  pentecost  must  pass,  the 
leavened  offering  be  gathered  and  presented,  ere  the  gos- 
pel, effecting  the  general  ingathering  among  all  nations 
could  go  forth  and  do  its  work. 

The  apostle  Peter  stood  in  Solomon's  porch,  preaching 
salvation  through  the  name  of  JESUS  Anointed,  to  the 
marveling  people  said:  "Unto  you  first,"  etc.  Actsiii.  26. 
This  expression,  "unto  you  first,"  seems  to  convey  the 
idea  that  Peter,  even  at  that  early  day,  understood  that 
other  nations  should  share  the  joyful  tidings  sent  to  Israel 
first,  and  we  may  wonder  why  they  did  not  at  once  dispatch 
messengers  to  heathen  lands. 

But  their  minds  had  to  be  trained  into  this  new  order  of 
things.  Our  Lord,  who  does  all  things  well,  and  never 
does  anything  in  a  hurry,  gave  them  time  to  meditate  on 
the  matter,  that  the  idea  might  fully  mature  in  their  minds, 
till  finally,  with  a  miracle  in  the  ceturion's  house  atCesarea, 
convincing  them  that  the  season  of  firstfruit  was  now  past, 
and  the  general  ingathering  should  proceed.  So  deeply 
was  the  idea  of  Israel  being  God's  first  ingathering  stamped 
on  their  minds,  that  even  Paul,  though  specially  com- 
missioned to  work  among  Gentiles,  always  made  it  a  point 
to  preach  to  the  Jews  first,  when  getting  within  their  hear- 
ing, (Acts  xiii.  46),  as  also  affirmed  in  his  Roman  letter  : 
"  To  the  Jew  first,  and  also  to  the  Greek."  Rom.  ii.  10. 

It  is  thus  seen  that  the  "hundred  and  forty  and  four 
thousand"  sealed  servants  of  God,  of  Rev.  vii.  4-8,  were 
Israel's  faithful  remnant:  "  Dying  in  faith,  not  having  re- 
ceived the  promises,  but  seeing  them  afar  off,  confessing 
themselves  strangers  and  pilgrims  in  the  earth,  looking  for 


24  STUDIES    ON    THE 

a  well  founded  City."  Heb.  xi.  13-16.  "  Sealed,"  but  not 
"  redeemed,"  but  how  shall  this  harmonize  with  Rev.  xiv. 
1-4,  where  the  same  "hundred  and  forty  and  four  thousand" 
are  seen,  not  merely  "sealed"  but  "redeemed  from  among 
men,  the  firstfruits  unto  God  and  the  Lamb." 

John,  in  Revelation  v.  i,  saw  the  LORD  God  having  in 
His  right  hand  a  book,  that  is  a  scroll,  or  rolled  up  sheet, 
written  within  and  without,  and  sealed  with  seven  seals. 
The  apostle  wept  because  neither  man  nor  angel  could 
open  the  book,  or  even  look  thereon.  The  Lamb  then 
appeared,  He  who  had  been  slain  on  behalf  of  sinful  hu- 
manity,— "Having  loved  righteousness,  and  hated  iniquity; 
and  therefore  anointed  with  the  oil  of  joy  above  His 
fellows,"  (Heb.  i.  9),  He  took  the  book  midst  prayer,  praise 
and  heavenly  worship,  (verses  8-14).  He  opened  one  seal, 
when  the  gospel,  in  form  of  a  crowned  rider  on  a  white 
horse,  was  seen  going  forth  conquering,  and  to  conquer. 
Rev.  vi,  i,  2.  He  opened  another  seal,  a  third  and  a  fourth, 
gradually  unrolling  the  scroll,  showing  the  revelator  what 
dreadful  wars,  tribulations,  bloodshed  and  woe  must  accom- 
pany the  gospel  proclamation,  (Rev.  vi.  3-8),  as  also  now 
verified  in  history.  A  fifth  seal  was  opened  and  John  saw 
the  faithful  martyrs,  those  slain  in  Old  Testament  times, 
not  accepting  deliverance,  that  they  might  obtain  a  better 
resurrection.  Heb.  xi.  35.  Their  time  had  come,  not  to 
be  raised,  but  to  be  clothed  with  long  white  robes,  Rev.  vi. 
1 1,  the  metaphorical  skin  garment  covering  all  humanity, 
typically  constructed  from  animal  skins  in  the  garden  of 
Eden,  Gen.  iii.  21,  but  antitypically,  the  flesh  and  blood  of 
Christ,  offered  for  fallen  humanity,  on.  Mount  Calvary; 
which  could  not  be  applied  to  martyrs  in  Old  Testament 
times,  because  not  then  in  existence.  A  sixth  seal  was 
broken  and  John  saw  time  expired,  and  judgment  at  hand, 


BOOK    OF     REVELATION  25 

(verses  12-17).  Here  the  drama  would  seem  as  ended,  but 
not  so.  Our  Lord's  beloved  disciple  shall  yet  be  more  fully 
initiated  into  God's  holy  oracles:  thus  far,  he  hath  seen 
white  robes,  i.  e.,  righteousness  given  to  none  but  martyrs, 
not  a  word  is  said  about  the  many  thousand  true  worshipers 
of  the  LORD  God,  serving  God  with  fervency  and  zeal,  but 
not  martyred,  what  of  them  ?  Are  they  all  lost  ? 

Marvel  upon  marvel  was  disclosed  to  John :  again  he 
was  brought  back  to  Old  Testament  times,  and  saw  God's 
faithful  servants  sealed  ;  again  he  saw  the  gospel  go  forth 
to  all  nations;  and  again,  when  the  seventh  seal  was 
opened  he  saw  the  terrible  trials  and  tribulations  shown 
under  the  former  seals,  only  now  in  a  far  more  detailed 
manner.  John  was  shown  in  detail  the  victory  of  our 
Lord's  church  amidst  persecution  and  woe,  (chapters  xi. 
and  xii.) ;  also  the  abomination  of  the  beast,  with  blasphemy 
on  its  seven  heads,  of  which  we  shall  speak  hereafter. 

But  let  us  refer  again  to  chapter  xiv.  :  there  the  reve- 
lator  saw  the  "hundred  and  forty  and  four  thousand,"  this 
time  not  merely  sealed  but  redeemed,  assuring  him  that  his 
faithful  fellow  countrymen,  whether  king  or  prophet,  rich 
or  poor,  high  or  humble,  if  only  following  the  Lamb  in 
obeying  the  law  pointing  to  Him  in  types  and  shadows, 
were  sharers  in  His  redemption,  though  dead  centuries 
before  it  was  perfected.  They  were  now  before  the  throne 
of  God,  cleansed  from  sin  by  the  all  atoning  blood  of  Christ, 
no  guile  being  found  in  their  mouths.  We  are  not  to  un- 
derstand them  resurrected  and  literally  alive  in  God's 
presence,  for  they  were  then  and  are  now  sleeping  in  their 
tombs  awaiting  Gabriel's  judgment  call  ;  but  before  God 
who  raises  the  dead,  and  calls  the  things  that  are  not  as 
though  they  were — already  existing,  (Rom.  iv.  r;),  they  are 
seen  as  if  alive;  or,  in  other  words,  they  are  alive  in  the 


26  STUDIES    ON     THE 

same  sense  that  Abraham  was  the  father  of  many  nations 
when  having  no  child. 

John  having  seen  the  "  hundred  and  forty  and  four 
thousand"  before  the  throne,  redeemed,  and  having  His 
name  and  their  Father's  name  in  their  foreheads  ;  that  isr 
no  longer  servants,  but  children  of  God,  he  sees  the  gospel, 
that  "everlasting  gospel,"  the  glad  tidings  of  eternal  life, 
through  Christ  the  Lamb,  sent  forth  to  all  nations  and 
kindreds,  tongues  and  people. 

And  now,  dear  reader,  let  us  summarize  these  points. 
Prior  to  the  death  of  Christ  neither  Samaritan  nor  Gentile 
had  been  called  into  the  fold,  to  Israel,  and  to  them  only, 
sounded  the  blessed  gospel  call  in  that  dispensation.  Every 
year,  on  the  great  day  of  atonement,  did  they  through  their 
high  priest  present  animal  offerings,  which,  though  types  of 
Christ,  served  merely  to  keep  their  leavened,  that  is  their 
sinful  condition,  in  perpetual  remembrance  before  God. 
Heb.  x.  3. 

But'Christ  came,  redeeming  all  from  the  transgressions 
that  were  under  the  first  covenant,  Heb.  ix.  15,  hence, 
cleansing  the  hitherto  leavened  firstfruit  of  God,  through 
His  all  atoning  blood,  before  sending  the  gospel  call  to  any 
other  nation,  precisely  as  seen  in  the  great  vision  shown  to 
John  on  Patmos.  Several  great  object  lessons  were  thus, 
in  John's  vision,  printed  on  the  charts  of  primitive 
Christian  churches. 

Firstly :  God's  promise  of  blessing  to  Abraham  and  his 
seed  stands  firm;  God  has  not  cast  away  His  people  whom 
He  foreknew.  He  sealed  the  faithful  remnant  among  them, 
and  upon  the  fullness  of  time  they  were  redeemed  by  the 
Lamb's  blood. 

Secondly :  The  gospel  call  of  "  Peace  on  earth,  and 
good  will  to  men"  shall  not  be  confined  to  Israel,  but  shall 


BOOK    OF    REVELATION  2 7 

go  forth  to  all  nations,  tribes,  and  tongues.  Israel  was 
merely  a  firstfruit;  the  general  harvest  shall  extend  to  all 
the  earth. 

Thirdly :  The  beast,  the  Roman  power,  in  John's  day, 
headed  by  Nero,  though,  at  that  time  persecuting  the 
saints,  and  having  the  power  to  slay  thousands  of  them, 
shall  ultimately  be  conquered  and  slain,  and  victory  shall 
be  won  by  the  people  of  God.  The  need  of  such  exhor- 
tation and  comfort  to  the  early  Christians  is  obvious,  when 
we  realize  the  terrible  persecution  against  them,  and  re- 
member that  the  church  of  Jerusalem,  though  under  Peter's 
direct  leadership,  was  ever  in  favor  of  obeying  and  main- 
taining the  whole  Mosaic  ritual.  Acts  xxi.  20.  Paul  coun- 
teracted this  spirit  of  Judaism  and  antipathy  against  Gentile 
customs  prevailing,  even  at  Rome,  saying:  "If  the  firstfruit 
is  holy,  the  lump  is  holy  also;  and  if  the  root  be  holy,  so 
are  the  branches."  Rom.  xi.  16. 

That  this  "root"  or  "firstfruit"  signifies  Israel,  is  very 
plain,  it  is  also  clear  that  Israel  was  the  "firstfruit"  as  Jere- 
miah had  said;  James  likewise  testifies:  "Of  His  own  will 
begat  He  us  with  the  word  of  truth,  that  we  should  be  a  kind 
of  firstfruits  of  His  creatures."  Jas.  i.  18.  Who  did  He 
begat  to  be  a  kind  of  "firstfraits?"  Not  all  Christians,  for 
that  would  include  the  whole  harvest;  but  those  to  whom 
James  wrote,  namely,  "the  twelve  tribes  scattered  abroad." 
Jas.  i.  i. 

Thus,  prophets  and  apostles  alike  testify,  that  Israel, 
that  is  the  elect  remnant  among  them,  were  to  be  God's 
firstfruit  or  beginning  of  His  harvest,  and  they  can  verily 
sing  a  song  unlearned  and  unlearnable  by  other  nations. 
Every  saint  can  sing  praise  to  the  Lord  for  having  been 
called  into  redemption  from  sin  and  pollution  through  the 
all  cleansing  blood  of  Christ;  but  to  have  stood  in  cove- 


28  STUDIES    ON    THE 

nant  relation  with  God,  chosen  and  sealed  prior  to  cleans- 
ing from  sin  can  be  sung  by  none  but  the  faithful  remnant 
of  Israel,  and  will  by  them  be  sung  and  remembered 
through  the  endless  ages  of  eternity. 

The  great  harvest  of  God  being  in  this  age  gathered 
from  all  nations,  anti-typifying  the  feast  of  tabernacles, 
though  in  Christ  having  like  honor  with  Israel,  may  love 
that  song  but  cannot  sing  it,  because  not  belonging  to  the 
class  having  national  pre-eminence. 


NOTE 


NOWHERE  in  the  whole  Levitical  code  did  stiaw  constitute  any  part 
of  their  offerings  ;  it  seems  therefore  unreasonable  that  the  LORD 
should  command  every  farmer  in  Israel  to  carry  a  sheaf,  or  bundle  of 
straw  or  unthrashed  grain,  up  to  the  tabernacle  once  a  year,  only  to  be 
thrown  away  when  getting  there  ;  hence,  the  word  "  Sheaf,"  in  Lev. 
xxiii.  10,  is  evidently  a  mistranslation,  and  should  read  :  "omer,  or, 
handful,"  as  in  the  margin.  The  Danish  Bible,  now  before  me, 
likewise  reads  "omer. " 


BOOK    OF     REVELATION  29 


CHAPTER    III. 


"HEAVEN    AND    EARTH" — "THE  STARS" — "THE   WOMAN" — 
"THE  DRAGON  AND  "  THE   BOTTOMLESS   PIT." 

IT  has  been  stated  by  Bible  students,  that  a  man  fully 
versed  in  the  spirit  of  Old  Testament  writings  has  no  real 
need  of  the  New;  and  there  is,  although  the  statement 
may  be  somewhat  presumptuous,  a  good  deal  of  reason  for 
its  utterance.  Moses,  in  his  writings  gives  a  history  of 
events  prior  to  his  times;  obtained  either  from  books  or 
tradition,  and  perhaps  from  both;  aided,  as  our  Heavenly 
Father's  servants  are  and  always  have  been,  by  direct  holy 
spirit  influence.  The  prophets  quote  Moses;  while  our 
Lord  and  His  apostles,  in  their  turn,  quote  both  Moses 
and  the  prophets. 

Thus  seeing  the  great  "  I  AM",  in  His  dealings  with 
mankind,  giving,  through  the  different  stages  of  revelation, 
"line  upon  line,  precept  -  upon  precept,  little  here  and 
little  there"  ;  (Isaiah  xxviii.  10),  always  basing  the  latter 
upon  the  former,  we  accordingly  conclude  that  the  Apoca- 
lypse, the  last  book  in  the  Bible;  and  among  the  last 
sacred  books  written;  was  likewise  founded  upon  some 
earlier  works.  Nor  could  we  ever  feel  sure  of  unraveling 
any  of  its,  ever  deep,  metaphors,  allegories,  and  symbols; 
unless  finding  some  positive  and  plain,  "  thus  saith  the 
LORD",  either  in  the  book  itself,  or  from  some  other  sacred 
writer  bearing  on  the  same  subject. 


30  STUDIES    ON     THE 

Revelation  xii.  reads  of  "Heaven",  "Earth",  "Stars", 
"a  woman",  and  "a  dragon".  Many  theological  writers 
see  in  all  this  nothing  less  than  a  literal  celestial  location, 
the  abode  of  holy  angels,  "the  war  in  heaven",  of  verse  7, 
they  deem  a  literal  battle  among  those  holy  dignitaries; 
resulting  in  the  absolute  defeat,  and  casting  down  upon 
earth,  of  some  arch  rebel;  who,  disobedient  to  God,  and 
jealous  of  some  rival  angel,  sought  to  usurp  power,  and 
have  things  his  own  way  in  all  the  heavenly  realms;  but, 
being  conquered  and  cast  out,  he  was  given  power  on 
earth  as  a  kind  of  omnipresent,  never  seen,  evil  deity, 
called  in  common  every  day  language  "the  devil". 

The  absurdity  of  such  position  is  at  once  apparent  from 
verse  2  : 

"  The  woman  in  heaven  gave  birth  to  a  man  child". 
The  angels  of  God  in  the  literal  heavenly  abode,  "neither 
marry,   nor  are  given  in    marriage",  Luke  xx.  35;  hence, 
do  not  bring  forth  children ;    therefore  a  different  solution 
must  be  found. 

In  holy  writ,  "  stars"  are  often  used  metaphorically. 
Joseph  saw  his  brethren  do  obeisance  to  him  in  the  form 
of  stars.  Gen.  xxxvii.  9.  Theological  leaders,  or  evan- 
gelists, turning  men  to  righteousness,  are  in  Dan.  xii.  3, 
likened  unto  "stars";  likewise  in  Dan.  viii.  10,  holy  men 
are  called  "stars".  But  we  have,  within  the  book  (Rev.) 
itself,  a  more  direct,  and  therefore  surer  proof.  "The  seven 
stars  in  my  right  hand  are  the  seven  angels, — bishops,  or 
messengers, — of  the  seven  churches".  Rev.  i.  20.  Even 
Balaam,  when,  against  his  will,  driven  to  utter  blessings  on 
Israel,  called  our  Savior  a  "Star  out  of  Jacob".  Num. 
xxiv.  17. 

It  being  thus  evident  that  a  star,  in  the  Revelator's 
language,  signifies  a  theological  leader,  or  holy  man  of 


BOOK    OF    REVELATION  31 

more  or  less  pre-eminence;  and  these  in  Dan.  viii.  10,  as 
also  in  our  text  are  called  "hosts"  or  "stars"  of  heaven; 
we  need  not  be  at  a  loss  about  the  term  "heaven";  but 
can  readily  see  it  signifies,  not  a  location,  but  a  condition 
of  sanctification  or  holiness,  enjoyed  by  all  now  redeemed 
by  the  blood  of  our  Heavenly  Father's  spotless  lamb;  in 
whatsoever  age  they  lived. 

"The  first  man  was  of  the  earth,  earthy;  the  second  man 
is  the  Lord  from  heaven",  (i  Cor.  xv.  47,  (not  that  He, 
Christ,  came  down  from  the  heavenly  portals;  but  being 
divinely  begotten,  He  was,  although  the  son  of  Mary,  of 
heavenly  origin,  and  is  justly  called  "  the  Lord  from 
heaven".  Hence,  when  in  Revelation,  we  see  a  "star" 
falling  from  heaven,  we  understand  it  signifies  that  a  holy 
person  has  fallen  from  grace,  or  backslidden;  lost  his 
heavenly  image,  or  condition  of  holiness;  unto  which  he 
through  faith  had  attained,  and  has  relapsed  into  the  image 
of  the  earthly  man,  from  whom  he  originally  sprang. 

Hebrews  xii.  22,  informs  us  that  the  saints  of  God 
redeemed  by  the  blood  of  Christ,  have,  although  scattered 
far  and  wide  upon  the  earth,  "Come  unto  the  mount  Zion, 
the  city  of  the  living  God,  the  heavenly  Jerusalem";  not, 
as  all  can  see,  a  location,  but  a  condition. 

This  heaven,  this  condition  of  purity  and  freedom  from 
sin,  is  likewise  contained  in  our  Savior's  words  to  the  thief: 
"This  "day  thou  shalt  be  with  Me  in  Paradise",  (Luke  xxiii. 
43,  for  let  it  be  remembered  that  Paradise,  that  is,  the  con- 
dition from  which  Adam  fell  when  eating  the  forbidden 
fruit,  was  regained  the  moment  Christ  expired;  and  they 
were  both  in  it;  though  for  the  time  being  both  dead;  and 
the  malefactor  is  still  dead. 

The  church  of  God,  the  Lamb's  bride,  is  the  woman  in 
heaven,  to  her  it  was  said:  "  Rejoice  greatly,  O  daughter 


32  STUDIES    ON    THE 

of  Zion;  shout,  O  daughter  of  Jerusalem:  behold,  thy 
King  cometh  unto  thee :  He  is  just,  and  having  salvation; 
lowly,  and  riding  upon  an  ass,  and  upon  a  colt,  the  foal  of 
an  ass".  Zech.  ix.  9. 

This  metaphorical  woman  was  indeed  with  child, 
traveled  in  birth,  and  pained  to  be  delivered;  the  faithful 
ones  of  the  LORD  on  earth,  were,  from  the  moment  sin  first 
entered  the  world,  ever  groaning  in  pain,  and  longing  for 
the  appearance  of  the  woman's  seed  to  crush  the  serpent's 
head. 

The  blood  offerings  of  Israel  setting  forth  in  type  the 
hope  of  a  coming  Redeemer,  are  traced  back  to  faithful 
Abel,  (Gen.  iv.  4),  and  even  further,  for  animal  blood 
must  have  flown  when  a  skin  covering  was  procured  for 
Adam  and  Eve.  Gen.  iii.  21.  "Abraham  rejoiced  to  see 
the  day  of  Christ;  and  he  saw  it  [by  faith,  though  far  off],, 
and  was  glad."  John  viii.  56. 

Not  only  did  the  blood  offerings  of  Israel  fore-shadow 
the  Savior's  death,  but  the  sweetest  theme  of  their  songs 
was  their  expected  Messianic  kingdom;  while  all  their 
prophets  from  Samuel  onward,  as  many  as  followed  after 
predicted  the  birth  of  their  deliverer.  (Acts  iii.  22-24). 

As  the  desire  of  a  woman,  yearning  to  embrace  her  off- 
spring, increases  with  the  nearness  of  the  event,  so  did 
in  Israel  the  intense  desire  to  see  their  promised  Redeemer. 
Year  after  year  their  offerings  were  continued,  and  their 
songs  repeated,  anxiety  and  longing  to  see  their  promised 
King,  filled  every  God-fearing  heart.  When  would  their 
"star"  arise?  Should  they,  'ere  that  day,  sleep  in  death?  or 
would  they  live  to  see  Him? 

Then  it  was  revealed  to  old  God-fearing  Simeon, 
that  his  eyes,  'ere  closing  in  death,  "would  see  the  Lord's 
anointed".  Luke  ii.  26. 


BOOK    OF    REVELATION  33 

Aged  Anna,  when,  in  the  temple,  seeing  the  infant  child, 
instantly  recognizes  in  Him  the  promised  Redeemer;  and, 
giving  thanks  to  God,  spoke  of  Him  to  all  who  looked 
for  redemption  in  Israel.  Luke  ii.  38.  Truly  did  the  woman 
travail  in  birth,  and  pained  to  be  delivered. 

"  She  brought  forth  a  man-child,  to  rule  all  nations  with  a 
rod  of  iron  :  and  [who,  having  finished  His  work  on  earth], 
was  caught  away  to  God,  and  His  throne."  Rev.  xii.  5. 

How  significant  the  expression  "  God,  and  His  throne." 
Merely  saying,  "caught  away  to  heaven,"  would  not  ex- 
press it;  for  heaven,  in  apocalyptical  language,  signifies, 
as  we  have  seen,  the  condition  of  God's  church  on  earth, 
in  which  our  Savior  was  born;  hence,  the  expression: 
"  God,  and  His  throne,"  fully  stating  our  Savior's  ascension 
to  the  Father's  immediate  presence.  As  also  written  by 
the  prophet:  "He  came  to  the  Ancient  of  days;  and  they 
brought  Him  near  before  Him."  Dan.  vii.  13. 

The  woman  had  on  her  head  a  crown  of  twelve  stars. 
Twelve  great  men,  our  Lord's  twelve  apostles, — diadems. 
Not  on  the  women's  vesture,  but  on  her  head;  being  indeed 
rulers  in  our  Lord's  church ;  and,  through  their  work, 
reigning  on  earth,  even  now,  as  kings  and  priests  with  God 
and  the  Lamb,  though  literally  sleeping  in  the  dust  of 
the  earth. 

The  woman  was  clothed  with  the  sun ;  that  is,  sur- 
rounded, literally  enrobed,  with  the  glory  of  God;  and  the 
moon  was  under  her  feet;  for  as  the  moon  receives  all 
its  light  from  the  sun,  so  does  the  whole  world  wherever 
civilization  reaches,  receive  all  its  light  of  blessings  from 
the  church  of  Christ. 

Comparing  Christian  lands  with  heathen  lands,  what  a 
wonderful  spectacle  do  we  behold :  asylums  for  the  sick, 
3 


34  STUDIES    ON    THE 

the  aged,  the  feeble,  the  insane,  or  the  needy  from  what- 
soever cause,  are,  though  never  seen  in  heathen  lands, 
ever  fostered  and  flourishing  within  the  bounds  of  gospel 
domain.  How  eagerly  does  the  infidel,  who  all  his  life  has 
ridiculed  the  church  of  Christ,  blasphemed  His  holy  name, 
and  shunned  the  Book, — the  Bible,  written  for  the  blessing 
of  mankind  through  holy  Spirit  guidance,  seek  an  asylum, 
founded  on  the  very  spirit  of  that  Book,  and  through  its 
ever  pressing  influence,  when  perchance  he  gets  old  and 
feeble  or  otherwise  in  need  of  succor. 

As  our  Heavenly  Father  maketh  His  sun  rise  over  the 
evil  and  the  good,  and  sendeth  rain  on  the  just  and  the 
unjust;  so  does  the  church  of  Christ  JESUS,  our  Lord  and 
blessed  Redeemer  shed  forth  her  blessings  upon  all  man- 
kind within  her  reach,  whether  they  accept  her  teachings  or 
not;  though,  be  it  freely  admitted,  all  not  willing  to 
come  to  her  loving  embrace  through  faith  in  the  death  and 
resurrection  of  our  Lord  JESUS  Anointed,  can  get  her 
blessings  only  second-hand,  metaphorically  as  moonlight; 
and  as  moonlight  is  better  than  no  light  at  all,  so  is  the 
condition  enjoyed  by  even  the  infidel  in  Christian  lands, 
far  preferable  to  that  of  the  heathen  barbarism,  in  lands  of 
darkness  not  yet  blessed  by  gospel  light. 

The  moon  is  under  the  woman's  feet.  Yes!  truly  so. 
Where,  within  the  realms  of  Christianity,  does  any  man 
dare  to  come  out  in  open  defiance  of  God's  law  regulating 
the  duties  of  man  to  man  ?  Even  polygamy,  one  of  the 
Cain  family  is  most  beastly  inventions,  can  nowhere  thrive 
within  church  domain ;  but  must  blast  and  wither  under 
the  powerful  influence  of  our  Savior's  church  light.  And 
thus,  with  all  manner  of  gross  crimes,  every  man  and  woman 
living  within  the  bounds  of  any  Christian  land,  is,  even 
though  frequently  hating  Christianity,  and  blaspheming  the 


BOOK    OF     REVELATION  35 

name  of  its  founder,  compelled,  by  political  law  and  social 
customs,  to  abstain  from  open  committal  of  gross  acts  for- 
bidden by  church  edict,  and  made  to  lead  lives  of  decency 
in  conformity  with  Bible  law.  Indeed,  the  woman  has  the 
moon  under  her  feet. 

There  is  a  class  of  men  and  women  in  society,  particu- 
larly in  our  large  cities,  not  only  tolerating,  but  openly 
approving  of  acts  condemned  by  the  word  of  God,  but 
who  are  as  a  class,  generally  ostracised  by  decent  society, 
considered  one  strata  below  the  common  social  level,  and 
known  in  the  revelator's  language  as  the  "bottomless  pit," 
of  this  something  will  be  said  later  on. 


THE     DRAGON. 

A  MONSTER  with  seven  heads  and  ten  homes.  Formers 
of  theological  sects  seem  to  forget  when  making  out 
this  dragon  to  be  their  fancied  bugbear,  the  ruler  of  their 
imaginary  place  of  torment,  called  hell  ;  their  personal 
devil,  has  only  one  head,  while  this  apocalyptical  dragon 
has  seven ;  though  it  is  nowhere  even  intimated,  that  he, 
when  being  cast  from  heaven  to  earth  was  in  any  measure 
decapitated ;  nor  could  it  well  be  supposed  that  an  angel 
in  heaven  ever  had  more  than  one  head. 

It  is  furthermore  declared  by  two  competent  witnesses, 
that  "the  angels  who  sinned  are  reserved  in  chains  until 
the  judgment-day."  2  Pet.  ii.  4,  and  Jude  6.  And  Paul, 
the  great  Gentile  apostle,  evidently  referred  to  the  same 
thing  when  saying,  "we  shall  judge  angels. "  i  Cor.  vi.  3. 

It  is  plain  from  these  statements,  that  the  fallen  angels 
being  bound  with  chains,  whatever  binding  that  expression 
may  mean,  and  reserved  until  the  day  of  judgment,  have 


36  STUDIES    ON    THE 

nothing  in  common  with  the  revelator's  "seven  headed 
dragon,"  who  though  cast  out  of  heaven,  retained  full 
liberty  on  earth  to  persecute  the  woman  and  her  seed. 
This  hydra-headed  monster  is  something  entirely  different 
from  the  fallen  angels  mentioned  by  Paul,  Peter  and  Jude. 
Nor  could  it  for  a  moment  be  supposed  by  sane  intelligent 
men,  that  a  literal  battle  should  take  place  among  God's 
holy  angels.  It  is  indeed  strange  that  men  even  in  our 
enlightened  age,  professing  to  be  instructed  from  God's 
holy  word,  and  having  more  or  less  knowledge  of  our 
heavenly  Father's  divine  attributes,  and  the  sublime  purity 
of  His  heavenly  courts,  should  so  far  forget  themselves  as 
to  admit  that  envy,  hatred,  strife,  or  even  literal  warfare 
should  enter  there :  thus  making  our  heavenly  Father's 
kingdom  and  throne  in  reality  no  better  than  this  sin  be- 
sotten  world,  for  if  such  a  thing  could  happen  once  among 
the  heavenly  angels,  it  might  perchance  happen  again;  or, 
if  not,  why  not? 

Verse  1 1  gives  us  a  clue  to  the  revelator's  idea.  "  The 
dragon,  that  old  serpent  called  the  devil  and  satan,"  was 
conquered  by  the  blood  of  the  Lamb,  by  the  word  of  their 
testimony,  and  by  yielding  their  lives  as  martyrs. 

And  it  may  be  asked  when  stepping  aside  from  meta- 
phor and  using  plain  open  language,  what  monster  enemy 
of  mankind  was  fought  and  conquered  by  those  weapons? 

Answer  :  Sin,  and  sin  only  by  virtue  of  a  broken  law 
condemning  all  mankind  to  eternal  perdition,  until  our 
Savior  appeared  and  paid  the  ransom.  Sin  it  was  that 
"accused  our  brethren  day  and  night  before  God,"  Heb. 
ii.  14;  Rev.  xii.  10:  and  sin  it  was  that  was  cast  out  of 
heaven,  not  out  of  any  celestial  locality,  but  out  of  the 
church  of  Christ  here  on  earth,  when  our  Savior  ransomed 
her  with  His  own  blood;  and  bade  His  chosen  followers 


BOOK    OF    REVELATION  37 

proclaim  the  glad  tidings  to  all  nations;  as  they  also  did, 
sealing  their  testimony  with  their  blood. 

Why  should  man  fail  to  see  the  true  meaning  of  this? 
"  Serpents  "  all  through  the  word  of  God  are  used  as  an 
emblem  of  sin;  Moses  in  the  wilderness  lifted  up  a  serpent, 
an  emblem  of  our  Savior  on  the  cross.  John  iii.  14.  The 
Mosaic  serpent,  the  typical  redeemer,  healed  them  from 
literal  serpent  bites;  hence,  sin,  from  which  our  Savior 
redeemed  us,  is  the  antitypical  serpent,  It  is  written : 

"The  seed  of  the  woman  shall  biuise  the  serpent's  head." 
Gen.  iii.  15 

"  Ye  generation  of  vipers. "     Matt.  iii.  7, 

"  Ye  are  of  your  father  the  devil,  and  his  works  ye  will  do." 
John  viii.  44. 

"Dragon,"  "  satan,"  "serpent,"  "devil,"  are  scripture 
expressions  signifying  one  and  the  same  thing,  namely, 
"sin  in  the  flesh"  with  its  fearful  consequences.  * 

"  Out  of  the  heart  proceedeth  evil  thoughts,  murders,  adulteries, 
fornications,  thefts,  false  witness,  blasphemies,  :  these  are  they  which 
defile  man."  Matt.  xv.  19,  20. 

"  The  flesh  lusteth  against  the  Spirit,  and  the  Spirit  against  the 
flesh."  Gal.  v.  17. 

"  Because  the  carnal  mind  is  enmity  against  God  :  for  it  is  not 
subject  to  God's  law,  neither  indeed  can  it  be."  Rom.  viii.  7. 

"  Every  man  is  tempted,  when  he  is  drawn  away  of  his  own  lust, 
and  enticed.  Then  lust,  when  it  hath  conceived,  bringeth  forth  sin  ; 
and  sin,  when  it  hath  finished,  bringeth  forth  death."  Jas.  I.  14,  15. 

"  Forasmuch  then  as  the  children  are  partakers  of  flesh  and  blood, 
Christ,  Himself,  likewise,  took  part  of  the  same  ;  that  through  death 
He  might  render  him  powerless,  (translated  from  the  Greek),  who  has 
the  power  of  death,  that  is  the  devil,  (/'.  e.  accuser);  and  deliver  them 
who  through  fear  of  death  were  all  their  lifetime  subject  to  bondage." 
Heb.  ii.  14,  15. 

*  Readers  desiring  light  on  this,  so  much  controverted  point,  "the  devil", 
as  mentioned  in  the  Bible,  should  write  to  the  EUSKBIA  Publishing  Co.,  509 
Walsworth  Ave.,  Oakland,  Cal.,  for  tract  on  this  subject. 


38  STUDIES     ON     THE 

That  bondage,  that  fear  of  death,  is  now,  thanks  to 
redeeming  power  of  our  Savior's  cross,  forever  abolished 
for  those  who  through  faith  in  our  Heavenly  Father's  sin- 
bearing  Lamb,  have  become  the  children  of  God. 

"  With  His  stripes  we  are  healed."     Isa.  liii.  5. 

Well  then  might  our  Lord  say  :  "  He~that  believeth  in 
Me  shall  never  see  death."  John  viii.  52,  and  xi.  25,  26. 
This  has  no  reference  to  natural  dying;  from  it  men  are 
not  exempt  :  but  to  death  absolute  in  the  penal  sense,  in- 
flicted at  the  judgment,  and  from  which  our  Savior  re- 
deemed all  that  accept  and  obey  Him. 

This  freedom  from  sin  unto  death  eternal  :  this  deliver- 
ance from  bondage,  into  the  glorious  liberty  of  divine  son- 
ship,  is  consummated  when  by  faith  in  the  efficacy  of  the 
death  of  Christ,  we  put  it  on  by  immersion,  as  Paul  says : 

"  As  many  of  us  as  have  been  baptized  into  Christ  have  been 
baptized  into'His  death."  Rom.  vi.  3. 

And  again : 

"  As  many  of  us  as  have  been  baptized  into  Christ  have  put  on 
Christ.  V  Gal.  iii.  27. 

And  again : 
"If  one  has  died  for  all,  then  have  they  all  died."     2  Cor.  v.  14. 

It  is  thus  evident  that  we,  having  died  with  Christ,  can 
no  longer,  by  the  broken  law,  in  which  lies  the  power  of 
sin,  (i  Cor.  xv.  56),  be  accused  before  God,  as  we  were 
both  day  and  night  'ere  the  work  of  redemption  was  ac- 
complished. The  debt  to  the  broken  law  having  been 
paid,  we  are  no  longer  accused  as  law  breakers — not 
under  law,Jbut  under  grace. 


BOOK    OF    REVELATION  39 


THE     SEVEN    HEADS. 

How  CAN  sin  or  its  power  be  said  to  have  heads  and 
horns?  Sin,  the  ever  accusing  dragon,  got  into  heaven 
when  our  first  parents  sinned.  They  were  created  in  the 
image  of  God;  not  bearing  that  image  in  fullness  of  glory, 
because  they  knew  not  good  from  evil,  but  having  received 
the  edict:  "  Thou  shalt  not  eat;"  and  being  granted  free 
access  to  the  tree  of  life,  they  were,  by  virtue  of  this  their 
covenant,  related  to  eternal  life.  Not  that  anything  taken 
into  their  stomachs  could  in  reality  change  their  mortal 
constitutions.  Christ  is  the  only  true  bread  of  life,  as  well 
for  Adam  as  for  any  other  man :  but  as  Adam  was  a  type 
of  Christ,  (Rom.  v.  14),  we  readily  comprehend  the  whole 
Edenic  picture  a  type  of  God's  dealing  with  man  in  the 
law  and  gospel  dispensations:  hence,  applicable  in  apoca- 
lyptical vision  as  placing  our  first  parents  in  the  image  of 
God,  and  thus  in  the  apocalyptical  heaven. 

The  garden  of  Eden  with  its  trees,  as  pictured  in 
Genesis,  may  or  may  not  have  been  wholly  literal :  the 
serpent  narrative  is  certainly  a  metaphor;  but  whether 
literal  or  metaphorical,  it  has  served  as  foundation  of  all 
subsequent  Bible  writings,  and  hence,  underlies  the  great 
vision  of  John  on  Patmos.  From  this  point  of  view  we 
behold  Adam  and  Eve  in  the  garden :  their  condition  of 
innocence  with  a  promise  before  them  of  never  ending  life, 
was  one  of  bliss,  indeed  it  was  heaven :  so  far  at  least  as 
their  condition  of  undeveloped  mentality  could  compre- 
hend. When  lo  and  behold,  the  forbidden  tree  was  ap- 
proached, and  its  fruit  consumed  :  at  once  their  con- 
science smites:  seeing  their  nakedness  they  sought  to  cover 
it:  and  hide  when  hearing  the  voice  of  Him  who  had  set 
the  penalty  of  death  before  them. 


4Q  STUDIES    ON    THE 

A  covering  of  skins  for  their  shame,  symbolical  of  a 
sin  covering  was  now  provided :  but  it,  though  covering 
their  shame,  did  not  take  it  away.  As  the  accusation  of  a 
broken  law  stands  against  any  criminal  until  his  sentence 
is  expiated;  so  in  their  case.  The  accusation  "Thou  hast 
eaten,"  was  ever  against  them  and  us — day  and  night  before 
God :  and  it  was  this  ever  accusing  dragon  our  Savior  con- 
quered and  cast  out  of  the  apocalyptical  heaven  when  He 
paid  the  penalty  of  sin  on  the  cursed  tree.  Gal.  iii.  13. 

Man  was  now  driven  from  the  tree  of  life,  (Gen.  iii.  24), 
but,  being  expelled  from  the  garden,  he  was  also  away 
from  the  tree  of  knowledge  :  that  is,  left  without  divine 
guidance  or  law  to  rule  his  passions :  and  thus,  unguided, 
he  sank  deeper  and  deeper  in  the  mire  of  immorality  and 
degradation,  till  every  imagination  and  thought  of  his  heart 
was  a  continuous  chain  of  wiclpedness,  (Gen.  vi.  5),  when  a 
righteous  God  destroyed  them  all,  save  Noah  and  his 
family.  Gen.  vii.  21. 

Again,  man  increased  and  filled  the  earth  as  com- 
manded :  and  again  sin,  the  ever  accusing  dragon  ruled 
as  before.  Spreading  abroad  from  Shinar  land  to  all 
corners  of  the  earth,  they  soon  forgot  the  fearful  lesson 
taught  to  all  mankind  in  Noah's  time :  and  forgetting  the 
Creator,  worshiped  the  creatures  as  gods.  Particularly 
was  Egypt  the  seat  of  idolatry  as  seen  from  the  word  of 
God  to  Moses:  "I  will  execute  judgment  against  all  the 
gods  of  Egypt. "  Ex.  xii.  12. 

Thither  the  Patriarch  Jacob  and  his  sons  journeyed  in 
search  of  food,  when  finding  the  land  of  the  Hebrews 
void  of  sustenance.  A  warm  welcome  was  accorded  them : 
because  Pharaoh  stood  at  that  time  in  particular  need  of 
Joseph's  service :  but  sin  is  never  grateful.  Joseph  died 
and  was  forgotten.  Then  the  yoke  was  placed  on  Abra- 


BOOK    OF    REVELATION  4! 

ham's  offspring,  the  only  people  on  earth  at  that  time  in 
covenant  relation  with  God;  and  they  were  persecuted 
even  beyond  endurance. 

Persecuted  by  whom  ?  By  a  monarchical  government, 
or  crowned  head  of  sin;  hence,  a  dragon  head:  and  the 
first  dragon  head  ever  mentioned  in  history  as  persecuting 
God's  people. 

Hear  haughty  Pharaoh  :  "  Who  is  the  LORD,  that  I 
shall  obey  His  voice?"  Ex.  v.  2. 

The  dragon  never  appears  in  form  of  a  false  prophet 
with  a  lying,  "Thus  saith  the  Lord."  His  speech  is  always, 
"  The  Lord  never  said  so." 

Thus  reasoned  the  carnal-serpent-mind  of  the  woman  in 
the  garden  :  "  Yea,  hath  God  said,  Ye  shall  not  eat. " 
Gen.  iii.  i. 

Thus,  in  Pharoah,  as  we  have  seen:  Thus,  in  Nebu- 
chadnezzar, when  erecting  an  image,  that  all  men,  under 
penalty  of  death,  must  worship  ;  he  actually  exalted  him- 
self as  a  maker  of  God  :  and  therefore  above  God. 

Thus,  the  Roman  emperors,  when  in  early  Christian 
times,  their  images  were  erected  and  worshiped  in  all  parts 
of  Roman  territory.  And  thus  it  shall  be  in  the  latter 
days;  when  the  man  of  sin,  mentioned  by  Paul,  shall  be 
fully  developed :  "  He  who  opposeth  and  exalteth  himself 
above  all  that  is  called  God,  or  that  is  worshiped." 
2  Thess.  ii.  4. 

Having  located  Egypt,  the  first  dragon  head,  we  can 
follow  the  history  of  Israel,  and  the  prophecies  concerning 
them,  and  thus  locate  the  other  six  dragon  heads,  or  mon- 
archies oppressing  God's  people. 

"  For  thus  said  the  Lord  GOD,  My  people  went  down 
aforetime  into  Egypt  to  sojourn  there;  and  the  Assyrians 


42  STUDIES    ON    THE 

oppressed  them  without  a  cause. "  Isaiah  Hi.  4.  Every  one 
knows  that  the  ten  tribes  were  conquered  and  carried  cap- 
tive by  the  Assyrians  under  Shalmaneser. 

In  Daniel  ii.  there  appears  an  image  of  four  different 
minerals — representing  four  separate  kingdoms  :  each  of 
whom,  in  its  time  oppressed  the  people  of  God,  and  hence, 
were  dragon  heads.  But,  some  one  might  observe,  "  four" 
in  Daniel  and  "two"  in  Isaiah,  make  six  only,  where  then 
the  seventh  ?  Let  us  see. 

John  saw  the  dragon  with  seven  heads  in  heaven  prior 
to  his  expulsion  into  the  earth;  and  as  this  expulsion  took 
place  when  our  Savior  was  crucified  we  must  find  seven 
heathen  monarchies  oppressing  God's  people  in  Old  Testa- 
ment times,  and  they  do  appear  in  plain  and  open  history. 

Daniel  in  his  vision,  described  in  chapter  viii.,  saw  a 
little  horn  spring  from  one  division  of  the  he-goat,  [/.  e. 
Alexander's  empire],  who  "  waxed  great,  even  to  the  host 
of  heaven  ;  and  cast  some  of  the  host  and  of  the  stars  to 
the  ground,  and  stamped  upon  them,"  etc.  Dan.  viii.  10. 

That  this  refers  to  the  Syrian  power  with  Antiochus 
Epiphanes  their  king:  under  whose  sacreligious  tryanny 
the  Maccabees  sprang  into  power,  and  wrought  such  won- 
derful deliverance  in  Israelis  too  evident  for  comment: 
and  is  without  doubt  referred  to  by  Ezekiel  chapter  xxxviii, 
as  "Gog  and  Magog." 

Counting  Egypt,  Assyria,  Babylon,  Medo-Persia, 
Greece,  (under  Alexander),  Syria,  (under  Antiochus),  and 
Rome.  We  have  seven  heads,  all  fully  developed  and 
crowned  prior  to  our  Savior's  time.  Rome  was,  even  at 
that  time,  considerably  divided;  and  might  well,  even  at 
that  early  day,  be  designated  as  ten  horns.  Those  di- 
visions were  nevertheless  in  full  subjection  under  the 
Roman  emperors,  and  therefore  not  crowned  in  the  full 


BOOK    OF     REVELATION  43 

sense  of  that  word,  as  they  afterward  were,  when  warring 
against,  and  fully  revolting  from,  the  Roman  imperial 
scepter.  The  reader  will  notice  that  the  dragon  picture 
of  chapter  xii.,  has.  crowns  upon  its  heads,  while  the  beast 
in  chapter  xiii.,  has  crowns  on  its  horns,  evidently  showing 
the  Roman  people  fully  divided,  each  province  being  a 
separate  nation  wholly  governing  its  own  affairs,  as  seen  in 
Dan.  vii.  24. 

THE  DRAGON'S  TAIL. 

THE  dragon,  although  seven  headed,  has  only  one  tail :  but 
with  it,  and  it  only,  has  he  power  to  do  any  real  injury  to 
God's  people.  "  The  dragon  stood  before  the  woman 
ready  to  devour  her  child  as  soon  as  it  was  born."  Rev. 
xii.  4.  Well  may  we  here  see  the  plan  of  Herod,  at 
that  time  Roman  governor,  hence,  representing  the  seventh 
dragon  head,  to  murder  the  infant  JESUS.  Matt.  ii.  7-16. 
His  plan  was  frustrated  by  divine  interference;  nor  have 
we  in  any  part  of  the  revelator's  vision  the  least  intimation 
of  any  real  harm  coming  to  God's  people  through  any  or 
all  of  the  monster's  heads.  But  "  his  tail  drew  a  third  part 
of  the  stars  of  heaven,  and  did  cast  them  to  the  earth." 
That  is  :  the  dragon's  tail  caused  holy  men  to  backslide, 
to  fall  from  their  condition  of  holiness,  or  heavenly  image, 
and  relapse  or  sink  back  to  the  image  of  the  earthly  Adam, 
from  whom  they  had,  by  faith  in  God,  under  either  the  Old 
or  New  covenant  been  severed. 

But,  asks  the  inquiring  mind,  why  is  this  evil,  this  de- 
structive work  allotted  to  the  tail  ?  What  does  the  word 
tail  signify? 

We  read  in  Isaiah  ix.  15,  that  a  "  prophet  teaching  lies, 
is  the  tail." 


44  STUDIES    ON    THE 

All  familiar  with  history  knows  that  a  host  of  false 
prophets,  always  attended,  or,  we  may  say,  hung  on  like  a 
tail  to  a  beast,  to  those  above  mentioned  dragon  heads. 
They  were  in  Egypt  in  persons  of  "Jannes  and  Jambres. " 
Ex.  vii.  n,  12;  2  Tim.  iii.  8.  We  find  them  in  Babylon 
in  the  form  of  soothsayers  and  magicians.  Dan.  ii.  2. 
That  they  attended  Rome,  the  seventh  head,  is  clear 
from  i  John  v.  21,  "  Little  children,  keep  yourselves  from 
the  idols." 

Even  the  land  of  Israel  had,  in  the  time  of  Jezebel,  be- 
come so  overrun  with  lying  prophets  that  the  people  halted 
between  two  opinions,  not  knowing  whether  to  serve  the 
LORD  or  Baal,  i  Kings  xviii.  21.  That  these  lying  teach- 
ers, this  dragon's  tail,  caused  many  of  God's  people  to  err, 
to  fall  from  grace,  and  lose  eternal  life,  is  also  too  well 
known.  Not  even  Solomon,  blessed  as  he  was  with  spiritual 
gifts,  was  able  to  withstand  their  craft,  but  fell  through  the 
influences  of  his  heathen  wives,  (see  i  Kings  xi.  4-11),  and 
he,  a  man  having  power  over  nations,  and  direct  revelation 
from  God.  What  then  might  be  expected  from  men  less 
favored  of  God;  and  often  pressed  by  heathen  rulers  to 
either  deny  the  LORD,  or  lose  their  lives;  as  e.  g.  Daniel's 
three  friends  when  cast  into  the  fiery  furnace.  No  wonder 
then  that  John  saw  the  dragon  tail  an  instrument  of  terror. 
It  was,  alas  too  often  the  cause  of  God's  people  falling  from 
heaven  to  earth,  which  all  the  dragon  heads  combined 
were  unable  to  effect,  for  even  if  taking  their  lives,  there 
remained  unto  God's  people  a  resurrection  into  a  better 
life  with  a  crown  never  fading. 

"  Fear  not  them  which  kill  the  body,  but  are  not  able  to 
kill  the  soul :  but  fear  Him  who  is  able  to  destroy  both  soul 
and  body  in  gehenna. "  Matt.  x.  28. 

Rome,  the  last  dragon  head,  stung  the  woman's  seed  in 


BOOK    OF    REVELATION  45 

his  heel;  a  wound  painful  indeed,  but  not  fatal.  That  is, 
death  was  inflicted  on  our  great  Redeemer,  but  a  power 
stronger  than  death  rent  the  prison  walls  and  set  Him  free. 
Yea,  more  than  that,  gave  Him  the  keys  of  hades  and 
death.  Rev.  i.  18. 

"  My  sheep  hear  My  voice,  and  I  know  them,  and  they 
follow  Me:  and  I  give  unto  them  eternal  life;  and  they 
shall  never  perish,  neither  shall  any  man  pluck  them  out 
of  My  hand.  My  Father,  which  gave  them  to  Me,  is 
is  greater  than  all :  and  no  man  is  able  to  pluck  them  out 
of  My  Father's  hand."  John  x.  28,  29. 

Not  all  the  roaring  from  the  mouths  of  seven  dragon 
heads,  were  they  open  simultaneously,  could  pluck  one 
sheep  from  our  Lord's  life-giving  hand :  but  woe  unto  that 
star  who  falls  into  the  coil  of  the  monster's  tail:  that  is, 
becomes  ensnared  in  the  meshes  of  lying  prophets,  is  car- 
ried off  with  false,  God-deserting  doctrines,  caused  to  leave 
the  true  faith  once  delivered  unto  the  saints,  and  be  per- 
verted into  believing  another  gospel;  or,  to  lead  a  life 
contrary  to  sound  doctrine,  and  in  rebellion  to  God's  law. 

"  For  unto  such,  there  remaineth  no  more  sacrifice  for 
sin ;  They  have  crucified  to  themselves  the  Son  of  God 
afresh,  and  put  Him  to  an  open  shame."  Heb.  vi.  6. 

"Ye  shall  not  surely  die."  Gen.  iii.  4.  This  coil  of 
the  dragon  tail,  this  lying  prophecy,  the  product  of  her 
own  indwelling  serpent,  lust  in  the  flesh,  seduced  our 
mother  Eve.  She  and  her  husband  were  the  first  falling 
stars;  and,  alas  !  for  humanity,  thousands  have  followed 
in  their  wake. 

I  am  not  here  claiming  that  our  first  parents  lost  eterna 
life.  Redemption  extends  to  all,  and  our  Lord,  the  judge 
of  all  flesh,  knows  who  are  His. 


46  STUDIES    ON     THE 


THE    WOMAN    IN    THE     WILDERNESS. 

"  THE  woman  fled  to  the  wilderness,  where  she  was  nour- 
ished for  a  time,  times,  and  a  half,  away  from  the  face  of 
the  serpent."  Verse  14. 

Not  here  endeavoring  to  establish  extension  or  terminals 
of  symbolic  times,  which  are  best  unraveled  when  all  these 
things  shall  have  been  fulfilled;  we  may  be  free  to  say  that 
the  woman  had  dwelt  in  Jerusalem  ever  since  David 
brought  the  ark  of  God  thither,  2  Sam.  vi.  17,  excepting, 
perhaps  the  seventy  years  captivity.  Our  Savior  informed 
them  that  these  things  were  to  be  changed,  that  the  time 
was  approaching  when  no  particular  place  for  worship 
should  be  designated:  that  God  should  be  "worshiped 
everywhere  in  spirit  and  in  truth."  See  John  iv.  20-24. 

In  accordance  with  that  fact,  our  Lord  commanded  His 
•disciples  to  preach  the  gospel  to  all  nations,  as  they  also 
did,  sealing  their  testimony  by  their  blood.  And  as  the 
LORD  had,  in  Moses  time,  "  carried  the  woman  on  eagles' 
wings,"  that  is,  by  miraculous  power  manifested  through 
His  servants,  Moses  and  Aaron,  "  and  brought  her  unto 
Himself,"  Ex.  xix.  4,  so  did  He  in  early  days  of  the  apos- 
tles, when  likewise  manifesting  His  power,  so  gloriously 
through  His  only  begotten  Son,  and  also  through  His 
apostles,  carry  her  similarly  on  eagles'  wings,  and  bring  her 
into  the  wilderness;  that  is,  scatter  her  among  all  nations: 
a  scattering  fully  consummated  when  Jerusalem  was  de- 
stroyed. But  even  in  this,  her  scattered  condition,  she 
was  nourished;  for  remember,  our  Lord's  promise:  "Where 
two  or  three  are  gathered  in  My  name,  there  will  1  be  in 
their  midst."  Matt,  xviii.  20. 


BOOK    OF    REVELATION  47 

The  serpent  cast  a  flood  out  of  his  mouth  to  swallow  up 
the  woman;  but  the  earth,  i.  e.  the  so  called  better  class 
of  society,  the  moral,  though  unchristianized,  part  of  man- 
kind; who,  though  led  by  either,  a  false  gospel,  or  rank 
atheism;  hence,  by  virtue  of  the  "moonlight  from  under 
the  woman's  feet,"  learned  to  sympathize  with,  and  respect 
everything  noble  and  lowly  among  men,  have  continually 
been  helping  the  people  of  God,  when  edict  after  edict  from 
the  dragon's  lips  have  endeavored  to  cause  their  extinction. 
Of  this  early  history  of  Christianity  gives  ample  proof. 

Well  might  the  woman  tremble  when  Jerusalem  fell; 
her  central  location  was  now  gone;  her  council  chamber, 
if  we  so  shall  speak,  being  demolished,  she  had  no  where  to 
turn  for  advice,  or  edict  in  settlement  of  church  turmoil. 

It  was  at  this  hour  of  consternation  that  she,  through  the 
beloved  John,  saw  on  Patmos,  this  wonderful  revelation 
assuring  her  of  nourishment  and  support  of  life  even  in  the 
wilderness,  as  we  now  also  for  more  than  eighteen  cen- 
turies have  seen  it. 

Had  the  woman  in  early  Christian  centuries,  when  the 
dragon  was  in  its  bitterest  mood  of  spirit,  been  confined  to 
one  city  or  one  province,  the  serpent  might  easily,  by  mere 
force  of  arms,  have  wrought  her  ruin.  But  she  was  every- 
where, and  yet  as  in  a  wilderness,  found  no  where;  because 
her  members  when  persecuted  in  one  city  fled  to  another, 
thus  literally  keeping  away  from  the  face  of  the  serpent. 

Many  of  God's  people  lost  their  lives  in  this  persecution, 
as  predicted  in  verse  17.  But  even  that  worked  to  the  glory 
of  God,  and  thus  literally  nourished  the  woman. 

The  dragon's  connection  with  the  battle  of  Aimageddon 
in  Rev.  xvi.  16,  will  be  found  touched  upon  in  a  later 
chapter. 


48  STUDIES    ON    THE 


THE    BOTTOMLESS    PIT. 

REVELATION  xx.  1-3,  presents  "the  dragon  as  bound  for  a 
thousand  years,"  "shut  up  in  the  bottomless  pit."  Much 
speculation  has  been  indulged  in  by  theological  writers 
about  this  thousand  years.  Several  branches  of  Adventists 
are  particularly  sanguine  in  their  anticipation  of  a  millen- 
nium prior  to  the  day  of  Judgment,  with  our  Lord  person- 
ally present  on  earth  to  direct  affairs;  as  if  He  were  not 
able  fully  to  control  matters  while  seated  in  heaven. 

Much  controversy  has  been  carried  on  among  theolo- 
gians about  the  nature  or  personality  of  satan,  as  also 
about  the  thousand  years;  but,  whatever  their  views  on 
these  questions,  they  all  fail  to  locate  the  bottomless  pit. 
Not  even  Canon  Cook,  the  latest  commentator,  though 
quoting  from  nearly  every  writer  in  all  the  history  of  Chris- 
tendom, has  been  able  to  obtain  any  opinion,  much  less,, 
light  on  the  subject. 

Without  here  endeavoring  to  refute  any  of  these  un- 
scriptural  claims  about  the  binding  of  a  personal  satan,  and 
establishment  of  a  fancied  millennium,  I  freely  affirm,  and 
shall  prove,  that  "satan"  is  now  "bound,"  and  in  the 
bottomless  pit. 

A  child  once  asked  :  Grandma,  what  does  this  earth 
rest  on  ?  It  rests  on  a  great  big  rock.  And  what  does  that 
rock  rest  on?  It  rests  on  another,  still  bigger  rock.  But, 
persisted  the  youngster,  On  what  does  that  rock  rest?  The 
old  lady,  puzzled  beyond  her  wits,  yet  too  dignified  to  admit 
of  ignorance,  silenced  him  by,  "O!  you  little  fool,  it  is 
rocks  all  the  way  down." 

With  our  twentieth  century  knowledge  of  geography  and 
astronomy,  one  smiles  at  the  reply;  but  must  nevertheless- 


BOOK    OF    REVELATION  49 

rest  assured  that  neither  John  on  Patmos  nor  any  of  his 
contemporaries,  were  able  to  form  any  clearer  conception 
of  the  matter.  To  them  the  earth  was  flat,  resting  on  a 
foundation,  the  heavens  a  canopy  resting  on  the  earth; 
and  beneath  the  earth  was  the  "  abussos,"  bottomless, 
or,  more  literal,  unsearchable,  incomprehensible  pit.  Such 
a  pit  existing  nowhere  except  in  ancient  imagination,  a 
literal  devil  can  not  be  cast  in  there;  what  then  does  it 
mean? 

Bear  in  mind,  dear  reader,  that  we  are  in  the  book 
of  symbols.  We  have  seen  above,  that  heaven  in  the 
apocalypse  signifies  that  condition  of  holiness  and  purity 
enjoyed  by  the  children  of  God  here  on  earth,  i.  e.  the 
church  of  Christ. 

Below  them,  on  the  next  social  level,  stands  another 
class  of  people,  who  are,  as  a  whole  good  peace-loving 
citizens  in  whatever  land  they  dwell.  They  may  or  may 
not  be  church  members.  They  may,  deluded  by  a  coun- 
terfeit gospel,  consider  themselves  children  of  God  ;  or  they 
may,  in  rank  infidelity,  ridicule  Christ  and  His  church ;  yet 
with  no  intention  or  aim  of  doing  it  any  harm.  They  are 
sober,  industrious,  tolerably  honest  in  dealing  with  their 
fellow  men;  and  generally  do  all  in  their  power  to  promote 
the  good  of  society  as  the  years  roll  by.  They  constitute 
the  apocalyptical  earth.  Below  them  stands,  or  perhaps 
we  should  say,  lies  another  social  strata,  another  class  of 
men  and  women,  whose  ears  are  ever  deaf  to  anything  ele- 
vating or  moral;  their  one  and  only  aim  is  to  serve  their 
own  carnal  lust,  no  matter  how  much  their  fellow  man  may 
suffer  in  consequence.  Saloons,  gambling  houses,  brothels, 
dance  houses,  and  all  other  imaginable  or  unimaginable 
dens  of  vice  are  their  places  of  continual  resort.  The  name 
of  God  never  passes  their  lips  except  in  profanity;  their 
4 


50  STUDIES     ON     THE 

every  thought  is  as  low,  degraded,  and  filthy  as  thoughts 
of  man  possibly  can  become.  To  them  the  revelator's  term 
bottomless  pit,  is  indeed  well  fitted. 

In  that  degenerate  society,  or  bottomless  pit,  the  devil 
has,  and  always  will,  till  the  end  of  time,  have  full  sway. 
God  did  not  say,  "Ye  shall  not  eat,"  Gen.  iii.  i.  Such  was 
the  dragon's  sweet  sounding  lie  in  the  garden  of  Eden;  and 
such  is  his  delusive  language  in  the  bottomless  pit  to-day. 
Every  person  knows  that  the  chief  or  perhaps  the  only  ex- 
cuse those  people  can  frame  for  continuing  their  wretched 
mode  of  life,  is,  that  God,  if  there  is  a  God,  never  said 
anything  about  what  men  shall,  or  shall  not  do.  They  have 
no  religion,  and  they  want  none  ;  hence,  not  even  the  false 
prophet,  who,  with  all  his  lying,  does  teach  men  some  good, 
is  able  to  live  in  their  midst;  much  less  the  true  witness  of 
God;  they  are  wholly  and  fully  given  over  to  the  dragon, 
ever  opposing  Christ. 

Acts  of  violence,  or  gross  crime  of  any  kind,  not  only 
tolerated  but  approved  oft'  in  this  "pit,"  are  openly  con- 
demned by  decent  society  in  all  lands  of  Christendom. 
Our  gubernatorial  seats,  our  legislative  halls,  our  courts  of 
justice,  our  social  circles,  and  last,  but  not  least,  our  social 
or  political  press :  the  most  potent  factor  in  shaping  public 
opinion,  are  all  pure  compared  with  what  is  ever  perpe- 
trated in  the  bottomless  pit.  Not  that  society  is  absolutely 
pure,  far  from  it,  much  evil  and  many  defects  are  there. 
But  noble,  heroic,  and  philanthropic  deeds  are  ever  praised, 
practised,  and  held  in  the  highest  esteem  in  this  kingdom 
of  morality,  while  lawlessness  and  base  deeds  are  openly 
condemned,  and  their  practitioners  always  ostracised  by 
that  that  class  of  people.  To  say  that  satan,  in  the  full 
sense  of  that  word,  is  ruling,  or  is  even  tolerated  among 
them,  would  be  an  undeserved  charge,  indeed  a  gross  in- 


BOOK    OF    REVELATION  51 

suit.    Open  society  is  not  satanic.     Satan  is  only  tolerated 
in  the  pit. 

But  it  may  be  asked,  do  not  many  of  our  leading  men, 
even  among  the  clergy,  practise  on  the  sly  what  they  openly 
condemn  ?  To  their  shame  be  it  said,  that  many  social, 
political,  or  even  clerical  leaders,  are  in  this  way  guilty  of 
gross  conduct;  but  they  are,  thus  far,  members  of,  and 
dwellers  in  the  bottomless  pit. 

Paul,  that  "great  star  in  the  heavens,"  warns  us  against 
the  works  of  this  pit :  "  Have  no  fellowship  with  the  un- 
fruitful works  of  darkness,  but  rather  reprove  them.  For 
it  is  a  shame  to  even  speak  of  those  things  which  are  done 
of  them  in  secret."  Eph.  v.  n,  12.  It  is  a  fact,  as  joyful 
as  undeniable,  that  actions  as  those  here  alluded  to  by  Paul 
are  condemned  by  public  opinion,  anathematized  by  the 
ever  watchful  public  press,  and  can  only  be  perpetrated  in 
the  dark,  i.  e.  in  the  pit. 

It  is  freely  admitted  that  millions  of  individuals  are, 
even  now,  in  the  clutches  of  satan,  and  thereby  deceived; 
but  whole  nations  in  Christendom  are  not.  Any  nation 
recognizing  God  and  our  Lord  Christ  JESUS  as  its  heads, 
which  all  nations  in  Europe  and  America  do,  is  no  longer 
deceived  by  satan.  Let  it  be  noted  that  the  binding  of 
satan  and  making  him  powerless  as  a  deceiver  of  nations, 
does  not  take  away  his  power  to  deceive  individuals.  See 
Rev.  xx.  3. 

We  are  by  the  revelator  informed  that  satan  shall,  after 
a  thousand  years'  confinement,  be  liberated  from  his  prison, 
and  again  go  forth  to  deceive  the  nations.  Rev.  xx.  7-9. 

It  is  unreasonable  to  look  upon  the  thousand,  which 
occurs  no  where  but  in  Revelation,  as  a  literal  number, 
seeing  all  else  in  that  book  is  metaphorical  and  symbolical, 
of  this  I  expect  to  say  more  later  on. 


52  STUDIES    ON    THE 

By  what  means  this  diabolical  loosening  shall  be  ac- 
complished we  have  no  means  of  knowing.  A  sug- 
gestion that  may  be  to  the  point  is,  that  the  eventually 
unavoidable  amalgamation  of  Asiatic  hordes  with  our 
American  nation  that  will  tend  to  such  result,  nor  are  such 
fears  by  any  means  groundless;  for  we  must  remember  that 
China  is  still  a  dragon  power,  the  last  nation  of  any  note  to 
admit  the  light  of  Christianity;  and,  peculiarly  enough,  the 
dragon  is  her  national  emblem. 

Such  social  disturbances  are  however  to  be  feared  only 
here  in  America,  and  mostly  on  its  western  coast,  but  the 
dragon  shall,  when  loosed  from  the  pit,  deceive  all  nations 
in  the  earth.  See  Re.v.  xx.  7-9. 

Not  here  undertaking  any  prognostication,  I  am  free  to 
call  the  reader's  attention  to  a  doctrine,  if  indeed  doctrine 
we  may  call  it,  prominent  in  our  age,  known  as  Agnosti- 
cism. The  spirit  of  Atheisnv — no  God-ism,  seems  to  dwin- 
dle away  and  die;  but  Agnosticism,  admitting  simply  the 
existense  of  a  God,  wholly  unknown  and  unknowable,  is 
gaining  foothold  at  an  alarming  rate,  in  all  lands  and  all 
classes.  The  agnostic  admits  that  Christ  was  a  good  man; 
but  scorns  the  idea  of  divine  begettal.  He  admits  that  the 
bible  contains  many  valuable  precepts  for  human  conduct, 
but  rejects  the  idea  of  inspiration,  thereby  overthrowing 
the  whole  fabric  as  having  come  from  God,  thus  plainly 
and  positively  stating  the  Eden  satanic  lie,  that  God  never 
laid  down  any  precept  for  the  conduct  of  men.  That  doc- 
trine is,  as  said  before,  fast  gaining  ground  among  men, 
and  should  the  time  come,  as  it  doubtless  will,  when  the 
nations  as  a  whole  shall  embrace  and  embody  it  in  their 
legislation,  then  satan  will  no  longer  be  in  the  pit.  Certain 
it  is  that  agnosticism  is  in  all  respects  a  dragon  doctrine; 
for  the  dragon  did  not  deny  the  existence  of  a  God.  but 


BOOK    OF    REVELATION  53 

simply  prevailed  upon  mother  Eve  to  believe  that  God  had 
not  said:  "Ye  shall  not  eat." 

In  concluding  this  chapter  I  cannot  forbear  to  warn  the 
reader  not  to  worry  about  literal  seven-headed  dragons, 
with  a  multitude  of  horns,  drawing  literal  stars  from  heaven 
to  earth  ;  but  if  you,  dear  reader,  be  a  star  in  the  theo- 
logical heaven,  no  matter  of  what  magnitude,  beware  lest 
some  dragon  tail,  some  lying  prophet  entwine  and  cast  you 
from'  heaven  to  earth,  i.  e.  from  thy  state  of  grace,  down 
to  unbelief  and  ruin. 


54  STUDIES    ON     THE 


CHAPTER    IV. 


"  THE    GREAT    HARLOT    SITTING    UPON    MANY    WATERS. " 
REVELATION    XVII,    XVIII. 

JOHN  saw  a  woman  upon  a  scarlet-colored  beast,  full  of 
names  of  blasphemy,  and  having  the  usual  apocalyptical 
symbol,  "  seven  heads  and  ten  horns."  The  dragon  of 
chapter  xii.  has  crowns  on  its  heads.  The  beast  of  chapter 
xiii.  has  crowns  upon  its  horns,  while  the  beast  carrying 
the  harlot  has  no  crowns,  at  least  none  are  mentioned  by 
the  writer.  Another  noteworthy  difference  is  that  the 
beast  of  chapter  xiii.  has  the  name  or  names  of  blasphemy 
simply  on  its  nead,  but  the  beast  of  our  text  is  full  of  names, 
not  merely  on  its  heads,  but  apparently  covered  with  them 
all  over. 

The  fulfillment  of  this  prophecy  being,  in  part  at  least, 
still  future,  we  can  not  fully  describe  the  beast.  As,  how- 
ever we  live  in  an  age  when  monarchies  tremble,  and  re- 
publics seem  to  be  the  most  approved  form  of  government, 
we  may  logically  conclude  that  this  beast,  though,  as  we 
shall  see,  taking  in  all  the  ancient  world  powers,  also 
reaches  down  towards  the  latter  End  of  time,  when  mon- 
archies will  either  wholly  disappear  or  be  limited  by  the 
most  stringent  constitutions:  by  these  make  every  man  a 
lawmaker  through  the  power  of  his  vote,  and  thus  throw 
the  responsibility  for  blasphemy,  /.  e.  social  and  political 
evil  of  all  kinds, — not  on  the  king,  as  in  days  of  old,  but  on 


BOOK    OF     REVELATION  55 

every  voting  inhabitant  of  the  land.  Hence,  the  names  of 
blasphemy  are  covering  the  whole  beast;  and  crowns,  if 
there  were  any,  are  wholly  ignored,  as  indeed  to-day,  the 
king  of  the  larger  number  of  kingdoms  is  merely  a  figure- 
head; bound  under  oath  to  respect  the  laws  enacted  by 
the  people. 

WHO    IS    THIS    WOMAN  ? 

COMMENTATORS  differ  here  as  everywhere.  Most  of  them 
quote  nearly  every  obtainable  opinion,  and  give  no  certain 
view  of  their  own;  thus  making  a  bulky  book  with  no  cer- 
tain result.  Adventists,  as  a  rule,  claim  the  woman  to  be 
the  Roman  Catholic  church;  others,  that  she  was  the 
Roman  empire.  Both  views  are  wrong  as  we  shall  see. 

"The  seven  heads  are  seven  mountains,"  verse  9, 
A  mountain  in  prophetic  language  signifies  a  kingdom. 
Isaiah  ii.  2,  and  xi.  9;  and  Micah  iv.  i,  as  also  said  by  the 
angel  in  [Rev.]  verse  10,  "they  are  seven  kings,"  or,  which 
mean  the  same  thing,  "  seven  kingdoms."  "  Thou  art  this 
head  of  gold."  Dan.  ii.  38.  Not  that  Nebuchadnezzar  ac- 
tually was  the  head,  but  representing  the  gold  kingdom  he 
is  called  the  head;  and  so  in  Rev  xvii.  10,  seven  kings 
stand  for  seven  kingdoms. 

THE     SEVEN     HEADS. 

FIVE  were  fallen  when  John,  escorted  by  the  angel,  saw 
the  vision,  and  knowing  from  Daniel,  chapter  vii.,  that  a 
beast  signifies  a  world  power,  we  need  not  be  long  in  locat- 
ing them..  They  are  simply  synonymous  with  the  dragon 
heads  of  chapter  xii,  vis.:  Egypt,  Assyria,  Babylon,  Medo- 
Persia,  Greece,  and  Rome.  This  excludes  the  Syrians 
under  Antiochus  Epiphanes;  but  as  that  power  was  really 


56  STUDIES    ON    THE 

a  part  of  Greece  and  is  omitted  in  Nebuchadnezzar's 
vision,  as  also  in  Daniel's  vision  of  chapter  vii. ;  there  is 
no  reason  why  it  should  not  be  omitted  here.  The  first 
five  had  fallen  and  Rome  was  there.  One  head  was  still  to 
come  and  continue  a  short  space.  Such  a  head  did  come 
when  the  Mahometans  invaded  Europe,  and  persecuted 
the  Christians  with  as  much  vehemence  as  was  ever  dis- 
played against  the  people  of  God  by  any  beast  of  old. 
But  whatever  conclusion  we  may  come  to  about  the  seventh 
head,  or  any  head,  it  is  plain  that  the  harlot  is  something 
sitting  on  all  those  powers  in  their  successive  turns  of  do- 
minion; and  is  therefore  neither  the  Catholic  church,  nor 
pagan  Rome.  "Reward  her  as  she  has  rewarded  you,  and 
double  unto  her  double  according  to  her  work :  in  the  cup 
she  has  filled  fill  to  her  double. "  Rev.  xviii.  6. 

Are  we  to  suppose  a  righteous  God  is  calling  on  His 
children  to  double  unto  the  catholic  church  what  she  has 
done  in  days  of  yore?  Shall  protestants  hold  inquisitions 
and  burn  catholics  or  pagans  of  Rome  or  any  other  city, 
as  supposed  heretics  have  formerly  been  burned  by  catho- 
lics, or  pagans  of  Rome?  If  so,  what  of  our  Savior's 
precept  to  His  chosen  followers  :  "  to  turn  the  left  cheek 
when  struck  on  the  right  ?"  "  Vengeance  belongs  to 
God  ;"  and  He  will,  through  His  glorified  Son,  our  just 
Redeemer,  see  to  those  things  in  the  great  reckoning  day. 
"  In  her"  the  harlot,  "  was  found  the  blood  of  prophets, 
and  of  the  saints,  and  of  all  that  were  slain  in  the  earth. " 
Rev.  xviii.  24. 

What  thinking  man  would  for  a  moment  apply  this  to 
either  pagan  Rome  or  the  catholic  church?  They  were 
both  bad  enough,  but  to  charge  them  either  separately  or 
collectively  with  all  the  innocent  blood  shed  in  the  earth, 
is  rank  folly,  as  that  includes  even  Abel's:  slain  thousands 


BOOK    OF    REVELATION  57 

of  years  before  either  of  those  powers  existed.  The  harlot 
on  the  beast  is  a  symbol  covering  far  more  time  and  space 
than  ever  occupied  by  pagan  Rome  and  the  catholic  church 
together.  It  covers  all  the  earth  and  all  time  from  creation 
till  the  judgment  day. 

We  must  here,  as  elsewhere  in  Revelation,  look  for  light 
in  the  sacred  writings  of  earlier  date.  "No  prophecy  of  the 
scripture  is  of  any  private  interpretation.  For  the  prophecy 
came  not  in  old  time  by  the  will  of  man;  but  the  holy  men 
of  old  spoke  as  moved  by  holy  spirt."  2  Pet.  i  20,  21. 

That  being  true  of  Old  Testament  prophecy  is  much 
more  so  of  the  great  vision  on  Patmos;  nor  have  we  the 
slightest  reason  for  believing  that  John,  in  any  great 
measure  comprehended  what  he  saw,  except  so  far  as  guided 
by  earlier  writings  or  direct  explanation.  He  would,  if 
possessing  abundant  light  on  these  subjects  have  explained 
them  to  his  contemporaries,  but  it  is  a  noteworthy  fact, 
that  early  Christian  writers  were  as  much  in  the  dark  on 
those  things  as  writers  of  later  centuries,  even  more  so, 
because  history  of  the  Christian  era  explains  apocalyptical 
events  unperceived  by  writers  of  earlier  days.  Daniel  was 
by  direct  revelation  able  to  interpret  Nebuchadnezzar's 
dream.  (Dan.  ii.) :  but  could,  even  after  that  event,  not 
understand  his  own  vision  recorded  in  chapter  vii.,  until 
instructed  by  the  angel. 

"  I  heard  a  voice  from  heaven,  saying,  Come  out  of  her, 
My  people."  Rev.  xviii.  4.  This  is  a  clue  to  a  solution  of 
the  mystery.  If  John  heard  such  a  voice  from  heaven, 
then  somebody  in  the  apocalyptical  heaven,  i.  e.  the  church, 
must  have  uttered  it,  and  here  it  is:  "Go  ye  forth  from 
Babylon,  flee  ye  from  the  Chaldeans,  with  a  voice  of  sing- 
ing declare  ye,  tell  this,  utter  it  even  to  the  ends  of  the 


58  STUDIES    ON    THE 

earth  ;    say   ye,    The    LORD    hath    redeemed    His    servant 
Jacob."     Isa.  xlviii.  20. 

This  evidently  refers  to  the  going  forth  from  Babylon 
of  Jacob's  literal  seed,  when  their  seventy  year  captivity 
had  expired.  But  the  prophecy  contains  more  than  that, 
for  it  is  evident  that  the  mere  emigrating  of  a  small  colony 
comprising  about  fifty  thousand  souls,  (Ezra  ii.),  followed 
during  a  few  succeeding  decades  by  several  much  smaHer 
caravans,  was,  politically,  an  insignificant  event;  in  realty 
affecting  none  but  the  few  Jews  taking  part  therein.  Hence 
neither  was,  nor  needed  to  be  published  the  world  over. 

The  spiritually  trained  eye  can  not  here  fail  to  see  a 
prophecy  concerning  redemption  in  our  Lord  Christ  JESUS, 
which  'should  be,  has  been,  and  is  being  published  from 
pole  to  pole — the  globe  around,  telling  all  who  sit  in  dark- 
ness, in  the  valley  of  the  shadow  of  death,  that  God  has 
redeemed  His  people.  Let  us  refer  to  Isaiah  Hi.  u  : 

"Depart  ye,  depart  ye,  go  ye  out  from  thence,  touch  no 
unclean  thing;  go  ye  out  from  the  midst  of  her;  be  ye 
clean,  that  bear  the  vessels  of  the  LORD." 

Jeremiah  likewise,  exhorts  God's  people  to  come  out  of 
Babylon,  not  once  but  repeatedly  is  the  warning  sounded 
by  him.  See  Jer.  1.  8,  28,  and  li.  6. 

No  wonder  then  that  John  on  Patmos,  heard  the  voice 
from  heaven,  it  was  certainly  sounded  loud  enough,  having, 
as  we  have  seen,  been  repeatedly  uttered  by  two  of  Israel's 
greatest  prophets. 

But  what  does  ancient  Babylon  typify?  certainly  not  the 
catholic  church,  for  God's  people,  Israel,  did  literally  come 
out  of  Babylon  under  the  leadership,  or  rather  rulership,  of 
Cyrus,  the  Persian  king,  but  to  say  that  God's  people 
spiritually  came  out  of  the  catholic  church  would  be  rank 


BOOK    OF     REVELATION  59 

nonsense;  nor  does  the  type  apply  any  better  to  pagan 
Rome. 

The  people  of  God  came  under  our  Savior's  redeeming 
mercy,  out  from  the  power  of  sin,  which,  by  virtue  of  a 
broken  law  held  them  captive  with  as  much  spiritual  force, 
as  Nebuchadnezzar  and  his  successors,  until  Cyrus,  cap- 
tured and  held  literal  Israel  prisoners  during  the  space 
of  seventy  years. 

God's  people  are  always  warned  against  the  company 
of  sin  and  sinners,  and  it  is  this  Babylon,  this  Shinar  of 
confusion  and  sin,  that  the  voice  from  heaven,  heard  by 
John,  warned  the  children  of  God  to  flee  from. 

Lest  this  shall  be  deemed  a  false  conclusion,  I  here  call 
on  Paul,  the  great  Gentile  apostle,  to  testify:  "Be  ye  not 
unequally  yoked  together  with  unbelievers :  for  what  fellow- 
ship hath  righteousness  with  unrighteousness  ?  .  .  .  For 
ye  are  the  temple  of  the  living  God;  as  God  hath  said,  '  I 
will  dwell  among  them,  and  walk  among  them;  and  will  be 
their  God,  and  they  shall  be  My  people.  Wherefore  come 
out  from  among  them,  and  be  ye  separate,  said  the  LORD, 
and  touch  not  the  unclean  ;  and  I  will  receive  you,  and 
will  be  a  Father  unto  you,  and  ye  shall  be  My  sons  and 
daughters,  said  the  Lord  Almighty.'  "  2  Cor.  vi.  14-18. 
This  testimony  of  Paul,  gathered  by  him  from  several  pro- 
phetic and  Mosaic  books,  is,  in  plain  and  open  language,  a 
resounding  of  the  voice  from  heaven,  heard  by  John,  being 
in  part  a  verbatim  quotation  of  Isaiah  Hi.  1 1 ;  and  how  does 
Paul  apply  it? 

"  Having  therefore  these  promises,  dearly  beloved,  Let 
us"  "come  out  of  pagan  Rome."  No  !  "Let  us  come  out 
of  the  Catholic  church."  No  !  "Let  us  cleanse  ourselves 
from  all  filthiness  of  flesh  and  spirit,"  [Yes,  that  is  it. J 
2  Cor.  xii.  i. 


60  STUDIES    ON    THE 

That  in  Paul's  mind  is  the  real  antitypical  Babylon,  from 
which  we  are  to  come  out,  and,  following  him,  we  shall 
have  no  trouble,  nor  risk  any  misinterpretation  of  scripture. 
And  this,  by  Paul,  applied  to  redemption  in  Christ  JESUS, 
with  a  consequent  crucifying  of  the  flesh  with  the  affections 
thereof,  is  in  full  accord  with  Isaiah.  "  Be  ye  clean,  that 
bear  the  vessels  of  the  LORD."  Isa.  Hi.  u.  And  again, 
"Tell  ye  to  the  ends  of  the  earth,  the  LORD  hath  redeemed 
His  servant  Jacob."  Isa.  xlviii.  20.  Just  what  Paul  and 
his  contemporaries  labored  to  do,  and  what  every  true 
hearted  child  of  God  is  trying  to  do  to  day. 

The  people  of  God,  the  ransomed  Israel,  those  who  by 
faith  in  our  Savior's  death  and  resurrection,  and  baptism 
thereinto,  have  become  the  sin-cleansed  children  of  God; 
are  always  in  symbol  called  the  virgin  daughter  of  Zion, 
the  Lamb's  bride,  or  similar  titles.  Such  being  the  case  we 
can  easy  see  that  a  "harlot"  is  a  most  fitting  symbol  for 
their  antithesis,  the  unredeemed,  sin-besotten,  sin-con- 
demned world.  Indeed  a  fitter  symbol  could  not  well  be 
imagined,  and  it  is  from  those,  Paul  warns  his  Corinthian 
brethren  to  flee,  saying,  "  Be  ye  not  unequally  yoked  to- 
gether with  unbelievers,"  etc.  2  Cor.  vi.  14.  We  now 
turn  to  Zechariah,  where,  through  a  vision  somewhat  simi- 
lar to  the  one  on  Patmos,  the  same  subject  is  considered. 
Zechariah  lived  and  wrote  shortly  after  Israel's  return  from 
Babylon,  during  the  period  of  troublous  times  predicted  in 
Daniel  ix.  25. 

The  people  only  fifty  thousand  strong,  were,  though  re- 
turning from  Babylon  full  of  courage  and  zeal  for  the  wor- 
ship of  the  Lord,  so  fiercely  opposed  in  the  building  of 
their  sanctuary,  that  their  hands  were  enfeebled  and  the 
work  dropped.  Ezra  iv.  and  vi. 

Under  these  circumstances  the  LORD  raised  up  Zecha- 


BOOK    OF     REVELATION  6 1 

riah  and  Haggai,  again  strengthening  their  feeble  hands, 
and  encouraging  their  leaders,  Zerubbabel  and  Joshua.  The 
spirit  of  God  at  the  same  time  evidently  melted  the  heart 
of  the  Babylonian  ruler,  causing  him  to  issue  a  renewed 
edict  for  erecting  the  Jewish  temple;  containing  also  a 
fierce  warning  to  every  opposer  of  the  work.  Ezra  vi. 

Thus  freed  from  all  opposition,  the  Jews  speedily  per- 
fected the  temple  and  re-established  worship  as  ordained 
by  Moses,  and  we  may  well  suppose  that  the  majority  of 
them  imagined  that  all  visions  and  prophecies  connected 
with  their  return  were  now  fulfilled.  They  knew  their 
Babylonian  captivity  was  the  result  of  their  fathers'  sins; 
and  compiehended  full  well  that  a  mode  of  worship 
and  general  social  condition,  purer  than  that  of  their  fath- 
ers, must  be  inaugurated  and  maintained;  or  similar 
calamities  would  befall  them.  To  their  credit  be  it  said, 
that  idolatry,  the  chief  crimes  of  their  fathers,  was  never 
afterwards  tolerated  in  Israel. 

But  their  deliverance  from  Babylon  was  like  their 
former  deliverance  from  Egypt,  though  truly  a  national 
blessing,  typical  of  the  great  spiritual  redemption  of  God's 
people  through  the  all  sin-cleansing  blood  of  God's  spotless 
Lamb,  our  Redeemer,  Christ  JESUS,  and  all  prophecies 
concerning  their  former  typical  redemptions,  though  there 
and  then  literally  fulfilled,  have  in  them  a  spiritual  kernel, 
an  application  to  spiritual  things;  and  a  fulfillment  in  this 
age  and  dispensation,  as  clearly  seen  in  all  New  Testament 
writings.  For  no  candid  reader  can  fail  to  observe  that 
those  prophecies  whenever  quoted  by  apostle  or  evangelist, 
have  always  been  given  a  spiritual  application.  With  these 
thoughts,  let  us  consider  Zechariah  v.  5-11 : 

The  prophet  saw  an  ''ephah  going  forth,"  and  in  the  midst 
of  this  measure  of  justice,  sat  a  woman,  a  representation 


62  STUDIES     ON     THE 

of  Wickedness.  Then  the  angel  informs  the  prophet,  that  the 
woman  in  the  ephah  was  their  resemblance  through  all  the 
earth;  most  translations  read :  "all  the  land."  This,  how- 
ever will  not  change  its  meaning,  as  the  land  of  Israel  typi- 
fied the  whole  Christian  world.  But  Wickedness  in  the 
"aphah"  conveys  the  idea  that  Israel  was  still  impure. 

Two  women  appeared  and  lifted  the  "ephah"  with  its 
load  of  Wickedness  up  between  heaven  and  earth.  The 
commentators  seem  entirely  at  sea  concerning  these  women, 
nor  did  the  angel  explain  that  part  of  the  symbol.  Two 
men  carrying  a  bushel  basket  between  them  is  a  com- 
mon sight  in  European  countries,  and  it  was  evidently 
quite  as  common  to  see  two  women  perform  such  menial 
labor  in  the  age  and  land  of  Israel.  But  those  women  had 
the  wings  of  a  stork,  showing  them  to  be  more  than  natural 
laborers;  and  remembering  that  the  church  of  God  is  sym- 
bolized by  a  woman,  we  may  be  justified  in  here,  seeing 
the  daughter  of  Zion  and  her  mother,  or,  in  other  words, 
the  church  of  God,  under  its  two  dispensations,  law  and 
gospel  covenants. 

At  the  appearance  of  these  two  carriers  the  woman  in 
the  "ephah"  endeavored  to  get  out,  evidently  desiring  to 
remain  in  the  land  of  Israel ;  but  is  cast,  or,  as  the  true 
rendering  reads,  thrust  backward  into  the  "ephah;"  and  a 
talent  of  lead  laid  on  to  keep  her  there.  Then  the  prophet, 
anxious  to  learn  whither  the  two  carriers  take  the  "ephah," 
is  informed:  "To  build  her  a  house  in  Shinar  land  [simply 
another  name  for  Babylon],  to  set  and  establish  her  there 
upon  her  own  base."  Let  us  mark  well,  dear  reader,  "her 
own  base"  in  Babylon. 

It  is  a  fact  known  to  every  gospel  believer,  that  the  two 
-covenants,  law  and  gospel,  have  been  the  means  in  our 
Heavenly  Father's  hand  to  expel  wickedness  from  God's 


BOOK    OF    REVELATION  63 

household.  The  law  having  been  our  schoolmaster 
bringing  us  to  Christ,  (Gal.  iii.  24),  who  wrought  re- 
demption from  sin  on  the  accursed  tree.  It  is,  alas,  also, 
a  fact  that  iniquity,  weakness,  because  of  human  flesh,  still 
clings  to  the  children  of  God;  and  human  passions  are  con- 
quered only  by  the  power  of  God,  and  constant  prayerful 
watching  by  the  redeemed  child  of  God. 

All  this  was  fully  illustrated  by  the  vision :  Israel  had 
been  redeemed  in  type,  but  wickedness  in  the  "ephah"  was 
still  there,  anxious  to  remain  in  their  midst,  and  only  by  main 
force  of  the  angelic  arm,  and  a  leaden  cover  too  heavy  for 
her,  she  was  forced  out  of  Israel  and  back  into  her  own 
home,  "Shinar"  land,  and  there  established  on  her  own  base. 

Now  the  picture  looks  plain.  The  woman  in  the 
"ephah"  represents  wickedness;  and  her  home  is  in  Baby- 
lon. The  woman  on  the  beast  is  also  Babylon?  Rev.  xvii. 
5  ;  hence,  the  two  visions  represent  the  same  thing.  And 
when  John,  in  symbol,  hears  a  voice  from  heaven  saying : 
"Come  out  of  Babylon  lest  ye  be  overtaken  in  her  plagues, 
ye  My  people,"  (See  Rev.  xviii.  1-5;)  he  simply  hears  and 
writes  in  symbol  what  Paul  writes  in  plain  open  lan- 
guage: "  Cleanse  yourselves  from  all  filthiness  of  flesh  and 
spirit,  and  have  no  fellowship  with  the  unfruitful  works  of 
darkness,  but  be  holy  as  becometh  the  children  of  God; 
lest  in  the  day  of  judgment  ye  be  partakers  of  the  punish- 
ment awaiting  sinners  and  ungodly  men." 

No  need  then  of  hunting  for  fallen  empires,  or  apostate 
churches  as  being  symbolized  by  the  woman  on  the  beast, 
but  rather  see  the  "harlot"  in  oar  every  day  occupation  and 
surrounding,  ever  ready  to  raise  her  head  and  escape  from 
our  measure  of  justice;  and  eager  to  remain  in  God's  true 
land  of  Israel,  i.  e.,  the  condition  of  sanctification  and 
redemption  from  sin  through  Christ  JESUS  our  Lord. 


64  STUDIES    ON    THE 

The  flesh  lusteth  against  the  spirit,  and  the  spirit  against 
the  flesh.  Indeed,  dear  reader,  we  all  know  in  our  hearts, 
that  the  harlot,  the  antithesis  of  the  virgin  daughter  of  Zion, 
is  ever  clamoring  for  a  place  in  our  breasts,  let  us  beware 
therefore  lest  she  with  her  ever  alluring  garment  of  gold 
and  precious  stones,  escape  from  our  measure  of  justice; 
and  we,  blinded  by  the  luster  of  her  garment,  in  a  mo- 
ment of  slumber  and  sleep,  forgetful  of  our  loving  Re- 
deemer's tender  mercies  and  fearful  agony,  becoming  en- 
ticed into  tasting  the  contents  of  her  golden  cup,  filling  our 
souls  with  poison,  and  alluring  us  down  through  the  gates 
of  sheol  ! 

Wickedness,  sin  in  the  flesh,  she  and  none  else  is  Baby- 
lon the  great.  In  her  is  found  the  blood  of  all  slain  in  the 
earth,  she  is  the  mother  of  all  harlots,  and  abominations  of 
the  earth;  she  has  many  inhabitants  of  confused  tongues. 
Babylon  is  her  true  name — signifying,  as  it  does,  "  confu- 
sion." And  sits  on  many  waters,  i.  e.,  on  all  nations, 
tongues,  and  languages  of  mother  earth. 


THE  SCARLET  COLORED  BEAST. 

HAVING  thus  a  full  view  of  the  harlot,  let  us  for  a  moment 
look  at  the  beast.  "The  beast  was,  and  is  not,  and  yet  is; 
shall  ascend  out  of  the  bottomless  pit,  and  go  into  per- 
dition. " 

The  expressions  "was,"  "is  not,"  and  "yet  is,"  seem,  in 
the  full  sense  of  those  words  wholly  absurd.  To  be,  exist, 
and  at  the  same  time  not  exist  is  to  human  understanding 
absolutely  impossible.  When  however  remembering  that 
Abel  spoke,  although  dead,  (Heb.  xi.  4);  that  the  Patri- 
archs, although  sleeping  in  mother  earth,  were  to  divine 


BOOK    OF     REVELATION  65 

eyes  alive  in  Moses'  day,  (Luke  xx.  38) ;  and  that  Abra- 
ham, while  yet  childless,  was,  before  God,  the  Father  of 
many  nations,  (Romiv  17);  we  may,  looking  at  those  state- 
ments from  the  view-point  of  their  utterance,  find  them 
entirely  harmonious. 

"The  beast  shall  ascend  out  of  the  bottomless  pit," 
(Rev.  xi.  7),  and  knowing  that  the  spirit  of  the  bottomless 
pit, — evil,  and  nothing  but  evil,  filled  every  human  breast, 
and  completely  controlled  all  men  in  Noah's  time,  (Gen. 
vi.  5),  we  can  fully  understand  that  the  beast  was  at  that 
time  fully  covered  with  "  names  of  blasphemy,"  and  in  full 
world  control.  Likewise  in  Sodom  in  the  day  cf  Lot.  And 
though,  as  before  stated,  each  world  power  from  Egypt 
down,  constituted  a  part  of  this  beast;  there  was  at  all 
times  a  sufficient  amount  of  innocence  and  moral  goodness 
intermingled  with  carnal  beastliness,  to  restrain  a  just 
Heaven  from  executing  immediate  judgment,  as  was  exe- 
cuted on  the  antediluvians  and  Sodomites. 

There  were,  F.  Ex.  in  Nineveh,  sixty  thousand  small 
children  not  knowing  their  right  hand  from  the  left,  (Jonah 
iv.  n.)  In  them  might  be  found  some  good  material 
wherefrom  to  develop  good  men  and  good  women,  hence, 
they  were  not  wholly  given  to  beastliness.  But  in  the  time 
of  Noah  or  of  Lot  in  Sodom,  society  was,  excepting  the 
few  whom  the  LORD  led  out,  absolutely  rotten,  beast,  in 
the  full  sense  of  that  word,  filled  from  head  to  foot  with 
names  of  blasphemy. 

In  later  days,  such  as  the  reign  of  Pharaoh,  or  Nebu- 
chadnezzar, there  was,  though  truly  beastliness  enough 
among  them,  also  an  element  of  virtue.  Thus  we  find 
Rahab,  in  Jericho,  fearing  the  name  of  the  LORD,  and  anx- 
ious to  save  the  fall  of  Israel,  (Joshua  ii.)  Nor  can  we  fail 
to  admire  the  character  of  Ruth,  likewise  seeking  shelter 
5 


66  STUDIES    ON    THE 

under  the  wing  of  the  LORD.    These  isolated  cases  go  to  show 
faith   mixed  in  hearing  of  God's  message   in  those  remote 
times.     The  Babylonian  beast   was  made  to  stand   on   its 
feet  like  a  man,  and  a  man's  heart  given  to  it,  (Dan.  vii.  4), 
a  prophecy  fully  verified  when  Nebuchadnezzar  repeatedly 
announced  his  belief  in,  and  adoration  of  the  God  of  Israel. 
The  laws  of  Israel  had  in   all  the  centuries  from   Nebu- 
chadnezzar   to   Christ  been    scattered    among    all    people 
wherever  the  Jews  went,  written    not   only  in   Hebrew  but 
also   in    Greek ;   their   benignant    influence    had    been   felt 
among  the  heathen,   and  society  prepared  to    receive   the 
message    of   salvation    through    our    Lord    JESUS     Christ. 
Hence,  in  John's  day,  the  "beast  all  covered  with  names  of 
blasphemy,"  that  is,  a  social  condition  of  complete  rotten- 
ness, had  been,  and  was   not,   did  not  exist,   except  as  it 
even   to-day  exists,  in  the   bottomless  pit,  the  lower  dregs 
of  society,  from   whence  it   shall   finally   emanate   and  go 
into  perdition.      I  need  not  quote  scripture  to  prove  that 
a  condition  of  the  most  fearful  corruption   and  social  de- 
pravity, shall  ere  this  mundane  sphere  with  its  inhabitants 
of  flesh  and  blood,  gets  ripe  for  destruction,  exist  among 
men,  drawing  them  wholly  from  God,  and  sink  them  into 
the  mire  of  carnality  and  complete  beastliness.     Thus  the 
beast,  will  be  the  eight  and  out  of  the  seven;  not   one   of 
the  seven,  but  out  of  or  springing  from  the  seven,  in  whom 
the  element  of  beastliness  has  always  been  found;  will  be 
wholly  covered  with  names  of  blasphemy  and  go  into  per- 
dition in  the  judgment  day. 

The  great  "  I  AM  "  never  throws  away  any  of  His  works 
while  they  serve  any  good  cause  or  contain  good  seed  in 
them.  Abraham,  praying  for  Sodom,  was  assured  that  ten 
just  persons,  if  found  in  there  would  prove  her  salvation; 
but  there  being  only  four,  and  one  of  them  a  doubtful  case, 
the  LORD  took  them  out  and  destroyed  the  whole  nest. 


BOOK    OF     REVELATION  67 

One  nundred  and  twenty  years  were  granted  the  ante- 
diluvians as  time  to  repent,  had  there  been  a  germ  of  good 
seed  among  them,  but  none  being  found  they  were  all 
drowned.  The  Jewish  nation  were  throughout  all  the  years 
of  their  commonwealth,  filled  with  wickedness,  but  the  good 
seed  was  also  there,  and  that  having  been  taken  out,  they 
were,  as  a  nation,  rejected,  never  again  to  be  habilitated. 
So  it  will  be  in  the  last  days,  when  the  last  vestige  of  good 
seed  in  the  human  family  shall  have  sprouted  and  matured, 
when  nothing  but  serpent-seed  producing  one  compact 
family  of  reptiles  shall  fill  and  fully  domineer  the  earth, 
when  society,  through  and  through,  shall  be  as  rotten,  as  are 
those  social  members  now  occupying  the  lowest  dens  of 
vice  in  all  lands.  Then  the  beast,  filled  from  head  to  foot 
with  names  of  blasphemy,  shall  have  descended  out  of  the 
bottomless  pit,  and  shall  go  into  perdition.  Then  shall 
have  come  the  time  when  God's  redeemed  children,  "now 
bearing  the  image  of  the  earthly  Adam,  shall  bear  the 
image  of  the  Heavenly. "  i  Cor.  xv.  49. 

Flesh,  /'.  e.  human  passions  and  desires,  the  cause  of 
all  crimes,  the  unconverted  and  unconvertable  sin-be- 
sotten  humanity  with  its  reptile  nature,  shall  be  "  con- 
sumed by  the  spirit  of  His  mouth,  and  destroyed  by  the 
brightness  of  His  coming. "  2  Thess.  ii.  8,  then  indeed  the 
beast  shall  have  perished,  and  the  doom  of  Babylon  the 
great  harlot  shall  have  been  meted  out  in  full. 

"THE   TEN   HORNS." 

THE  DOMINIONS  of  the  "ten  horns"  were,  in  John's  day, 
future,  but  ruling  one  hour  with  the  beast,  that  is,  rule  a 
short  time  in  heathen  darkness,  they  should  "make  war 
with  the  Lamb,"  and  be  conquered,  Rev.  xvii.  12-14;  a 
prophecy  plainly  showing  that  no  nation  should  ever 


68  STUDIES    ON    THE 

accept  Christianity  without  opposition;  as  has  been  fully 
verified  by  history.  But  verse  16  says,  that  "they  shall 
hate  the  whore,  make  her  desolate  and  naked,  eat  her  flesh 
and  burn  her  with  fire. " 

This  is  a  recital  of  punishments  inflicted  in  early  bar- 
barous ages  on  the  poor  lamentable  wretch  who,  innocent 
or  guilty,  fell  into  monarchial  displeasure,  all  kinds  of  tor- 
ments and  contempts  were  heaped  upon  him.  And  thus 
is  indeed  the  harlot  held  in  contempt  and  punished  by  all 
Christian  nations  of  to-day.  Be  it  freely  admitted  that 
many  laws  may  be  defective  and  their  execution  only  par- 
tial, yet  there  is  in  all  Christian  lands  a  system  of  legisla- 
tion aiming  to  elevate  men's  minds,  teaching  them  to  shun 
evil  and  practise  virtue ;  punishing  them  for  company  with 
the  harlot,— sin  in  its  manifold  aspects,  thus  really,  though 
as  "  by  moonlight,"  seeking  to  lead  men  out  of  Babylon 
into  Zion,  they  hate  the  harlot,  and  expose  her  shame. 

And  when   the  day  of  reckoning  with  all  nations  shall 
have  been  passed,  when  the  saved  of  God  in  full  resurrected 
glory,  "  robed  in   white,  with  palms  in  their   hands  :    shall 
echo,  Salvation  and  glory  to  God  and  the  Lamb,  Rev.  vii.  9; 
praising   our   Lord  for  beneficial   laws  ruling   their  several 
countries  during  the  centuries  of  gospel  dispensation;  then 
indeed  it  will  be  seen  that  those  nations  did  "hate  the  har- 
lot, and  burn  her  with  fire;"    the  effect  of  a  nation's    laws 
must  always  be  accredited  to  the  nation. 

If  any  person  doubts  the  correctness  of  these  conclu- 
sions, let  him  appear  anywhere  in  public  in  company  with 
the  harlot,  that  is  practise  openly  and  publicly  anything 
contrary  to  the^welfare  of  his  fellow-man,  and  forbidden  in 
the  generally  sensible  criminal  codes,  and  he  will  soon 
have  his  doubts  dispelled  by  finding  himself  securely 
locked  behind  bolts  and  bars  of  steel. 


BOOK   OF    REVELATION  69 


CHAPTER  V. 


THE    BATTLE    OF    ARMAGEDDON    REV.   XVI.    12-21. 

THE  "battle  of  Armageddon"  is,  like  the  battle  between 
"Michael  and  the  dragon"  of  chapter  xii,  generally  looked 
upon,  at  least  by  Adventists  as  a  literal  battle. 

Some  bright  eyed  Advent  leader,  observing  the  nations 
of  Europe  keenly  watching  each  other's  military  move- 
ments, is  forever  scanning  the  political  horizon  in  search 
of  omens  heralding  the  Armageddon  strife.  One  might 
think  they  would  tire  of  thus  ever  chasing  the  rainbow,  but 
not  so,  every  political  mist,  no  matter  from  what  direction, 
is  to  them  as  sure  sign  of  our  Lord's  near  coming,  although 
the  Savior  warned  his  faithful  followers  not  to  look  upon 
those  things  as  signs  of  the  world's  end.  Matt.  xxiv.  4-8 ; 
Mark  xiii.  7. 

"  He  gathered  them  together  to  a  place  called  in  the 
Hebrew  tongue,  Armageddon."  Rev.  xvi.  16.  Why,  if  a 
literal  place,  is  it  called  Armageddon  only  in  Hebrew? 
Literal  places,  as  Jerusalem,  Constantinople,  Peking,  or 
Washington,  retain  their  names  in  all  languages,  hence  the 
fact  that  Armageddon  is  thus  named  in  Hebrew  only  de- 
stroys its  literality.  That  the  battle  of  Armageddon  is 
synonymous  with  the  war  of  Revelation  xx.  7-9,  where 
"  Gog  and  Magog  compass  the  camp  of  the  saints,"  is  evi- 
dent from  the  fact  that  both  texts  describe  a  battle  directly 
connected  with  our  Lord's  coming.  But  the  people  of 
God,  instead  of  encamping  in  some  literal  fortification, 


70  STUDIES    ON    THE 

are  scattered  far  and  wide  in  the  earth,  and  cannot  be 
surrounded  by  any  literal  army,  another  proof  of  the 
vision's  spirituality. 

Why  is  the  parenthesis,  verse  15,  inserted  in  the  very 
midst  of  the  Armageddon  battle  ?  Why  this  warning  ? 
"  Behold,  I  come  as  a  thief.  Blessed  is  he  that  watcheth, 
and  keepeth  his  garments,  lest  he  walk  naked,  and  they 
see  his  shame."  The  condition,  purity  or  filth,  of  a  man's 
spiritual  garment  has  nothing  whatever  to  do  with  literal 
warfare.  The  largest  cannon,  the  most  powerful  explosive, 
and  the  best  trained  gunners,  carry  the  battle  now-a^days, 
but  if  the  battle  is  metaphorical,  /'.  e.,  a  battle  of  God's 
people  against  false  dogmas  and  sinful  lust,  to  "escape  de- 
struction in  the  great  day  of  wrath  and  perdition  of  un- 
godly men;"  we  see  the  import  of  this  great  exhortation, 
merely  an  echo  of  our  Savior's  in  Matt.  xxiv.  42-51;  See 
also,  2  Pet.  iii.  11-14. 


THE     GREAT    RIVER     EUPHRATES. 

11  THE  sixth  angel  poured  out  his  vial  upon  the  great  river 
Euphrates,  and  the  water  thereof  was  dried  up,  that  the 
way  of  the  kings  from  the  east  might  be  prepared. "  Verse 
12.  "Babylon  the  great,  the  mother  of  harlots  and  abomi- 
nations of  the  earth,"  having  been  described  in  a  privious 
chapter,  needs  no  mention  here,  except  so  far  as  to  locate 
the  great  river  Euphrates.  Ancient  Babylon  was  located 
on  the  river  Euphrates;  its  water  served  as  an  highway, 
supplying  the  city  with  provisions  and  other  needed 
articles.  Cyrus,  besieging  the  city,  viewed  its  majestic 
walls,  350  feet  high,  and  75  feet  broad  at  the  top,  realizing 
not  only  the  impossibility  of  scaling  them,  but  also  the 
utter  imbecility  of,  even  the  most  formidable  battering 


BOOK    OF    REVELATION  71 

rams  as  effective  against  them,  decided  to  dry  up  the 
river  bed  by  changing  its  course  into  a  new  channel  dug 
for  the  purpose,  and  so  admirably  did  his  plan  succeed, 
that  Babylon,  on  the  night  of  some  public  festival,  cele- 
brated in  high  glee  with  drunkenness  and  revelry,  was  com- 
pletely surprised  and  taken,  the  besieging  army  marching 
in  through  the  now  dried  up  river  bed,  and  as  Media  and 
Persia  were  located  east  of  Babylon,  their  rulers  were  the 
kings  from  the  east,  for  whose  sake  the  river  Euphrates  was 
dried  up. 

But,  it  may  be  asked,  what  has  the  capture  of  ancient 
Babylon  to  do  with  John's  vision  on  Patmos? 

Types,  when  understood,  always  serve  as  means  of  ex- 
plaining antitypes.  Babylon  being,  as  seen,  a  type  of  sin- 
besotten  unredeemed  and  unredeemable  humanity,  the 
Euphrates,  the  source  of  its  sustenance,  likewise  typified 
that  stream  of  ignorance,  idolatry,  superstition  and  world- 
wide lewdness,  which,  from  time  immemorial,  has  served 
to  sustain  antitypical  Babylon,  keep  her  inhabitants 
estranged  from  God,  surrounded  with  an  insurmountable 
wall  of  spiritual  darkness  and  Godless  gloom. 

Like  as  Cyrus  and  his  associates  from  the  east,  did,  in 
days  of  old,  by  drying  up  the  river  bed  of  typical  Babylon, 
enter  the  city  and  liberate  God's  people,  so  have,  in  this 
gospel  dispensation,  the  antitypical  kings  from  the  east, 
the  true  light  bearers  of  gospel  proclamation,  turned  anti- 
typical  Euphrates  into  another  channel;  they  have,  by 
constant  effort  of  no  less  than  nineteen  centuries,  caused 
that  ever  flowing  ancient  river  of  darkness,  superstition,  and 
idolatry  with  all  its  spiritual  filth,  to  turn  away  from  God's 
people,  and  made  the  light  of  divine  truth  shine  among 
them,  so  that  all  having  ears  to  hear  can  grasp  the  gospel 
of  salvation;  flee  from  the  midst  of  Babylon,  and  thus 


72  STUDIES     ON     THE 

escape  the  infliction  of  her  impending  doom.  And  did  not 
those  light  bearers,  those  great  liberators  of  God's  people, 
come  from  the  east?  Freely  assenting  that  the  "East," 
to  be  metaphorical,  signifying  sunrise,  or  source  of  light,  it 
remains  nevertheless  a  fact,  that  gospel  proclamation  in  all 
its  promulgation  has  steadily  pursued  a  westerly  course. 
First,  into  Europe  from  Asia,  thence  to  America,  and  now 
from  here  to  Asia.  Truly,  its  proclaimers  are  kings  from 
the  east,  and  they  take  God's  people  out  of  Babylon. 


THE    SPIRITS    RESEMBLING    FROGS:     OR,    PLAGUE    OF    THE 
SIXTH    VIAL. 

THREE  unclean  spirits,  like  frogs,  proceed  from  three  diff- 
erent sources;  the  "mouths  of  the  dragon,  the  beast,  and 
the  false  prophet" 

The  people  of  all  Christian  countries,  and  all  lands 
whatsoever,  will  doubtless  embrace  Christianity  before  our 
Lord's  coming,  are  divided  into  four  classes  and  only  four. 

First:  Our  Lord's  chosen  few,  the  element  who,  through 
faith  in  our  Heavenly  Father's  spotless  Lamb,  have  been 
redeemed  from  sin  and  condemnation,  and  thus  metaphori- 
cally gone  out  from  Babylon. 

Secondly:  The  dragon  element,  scoffers,  infidels,  and 
sceptics,  who,  like  the  dragon  in  the  garden  of  Eden,  seek 
to  persuade  us  that  God  never  gave  a  commandment  re- 
straining men  from  indulging  in  what  their  carnal  hearts 
desire.  Highstrung  and  lofty  indeed  are  their  vain  preten- 
tlons;  with  "swelling  words  of  vanity,"  ever  alluring  men, 
and  promising  them  liberty,  if  only  willing  to  forsake  God, 
and  ignore  His  word,  though  themselves  the  servants  of 
sin.  2  Pet.  ii.  17-19. 


BOOK    OF    REVELATION  73 

Thirdly:  A  class  of  men  ever  proclaiming,  "Thus  saith 
the  Lord,"  but  in  reality  as  far  from  divine  truth  as  were 
the  prophets  of  Baal  in  the  day  of  Ahab.  They  may  be 
heathen,  worshiping  false  gods,  or  they  may  be  nominally 
Christians,  misled  by  a  false  gospel,  generally  brimful  of 
zeal,  they  think  to  serve  God  with  their  man-made  dogmas, 
but  are  actually  as  far  from  the  true  faith  as  the  dragon 
element.  These  constitute  the  false  prophet. 

Fourthly:  We  find  in  society  the  beast  element,  the 
lower  dregs  of  all  classes.  Not  interested  in  religious  con- 
troversy, they  take  no  part  neither  for  nor  against.  The 
dragon  and  the  false  prophet  are  fighting  one  another,  and 
both  are  fighting  the  truth;  but  the  beast  element  take  no 
part  with  either  side.  They  are  no  more  interested  in  the 
gospel  controversy  than  would  be  an  ox  in  the  most 
deadly  conflict  hetween  man  and  man.  Like  dumb  brutes, 
they  think  of  nothing  but  eating,  drinking,  and  satisfying 
their  carnal  desires;  and  are  by  the  revelator  deservedly 
designated  "the  beast." 

Blind  indeed  is  he  who  fails  to  see  these  three  filthy 
spirits  astir  to-day  in  all  lands  of  Christendom,  deceiving 
men,  enticing  them  away  from  gospel  truth,  and  literally 
setting  them  in  battle  array  against  God  and  our  Lord 
Christ  JESUS,  not  to  any  literal  warfare,  but  to  a  hard 
hearted  stubborn  rebellion  against  God's  truth,  promul- 
gated through  the  spilt  blood  of  millions  of  martyrs  follow- 
ing God's  spotless  Lamb  in  His  holy  fight. 

"  They  [these  three]  are  spirits  ot  demons  working 
miracles  which  go  forth  to  the  kings  of  the  whole  earth," 
etc.  The  Greek  word  "seemeion,"  translated  miracles,  does 
not  necessarily  signify  a  miracle,  but  is  used  also  for  sign 
or  phenomenon  of  unusual  occurrence,  F.  Ex.:  "Abraham 
received  the  '  sign  '  [seemeion]  of  circumcision.  "  Rom.  iv. 


74  STUDIES     ON     THE 

IT.  "This  shall  be  to  you  a  'sign'  [seemeion],"  etc.  Luke 
ii.  12.  Also,  "  The  l  signs'  of  the  times,"  Matt.  xvi.  3.  This 
sense  of  the  word  seemeion  seems  the  obvious  meaning  in 
Rev.  xvi.  14,  as  miracles  are  wrought  by  the  power  of  God 
only,  and  not  used  to  deceive  men. 

"  There  shall  arise  false  christs,  and  false  prophets,  and 
shall  show  great  signs  and  wonders;  insomuch  that,  if  it 
were  possible,  they  shall  deceive  the  very  elect."  Matt. 
xxiv.  24.  Our  day  is  by  no  means  void  of  such  signs  r 
hypnotism  is  practised  extensively;  spiritualism,  Christian 
science,  so  called,  and  several  forms  of  faith-healing,  all 
performing  their  wonders  ;  which  are  nothing  more  than 
hypnotism,  now  fairly  well  understood  by  a  large  number 
of  people,  but  withal  well  adapted  to  deceive  credulous 
minds;  and  draw  people,  not  fully  grounded  in  the  gospel 
plan  of  salvation,  away  from  God  and  our  Lord  Christ 
JESUS. 

How  timely  then  the  Spirit's  warning  in  verse  15: 
"  Keep  thy  garments  [thy  sin-covering  faith],  lest  thou 
walk  naked,  and  they  see  thy  shame  !" 


ARMAGEDDON. 

ALTHOUGH  the  waters  of  Megiddo  and  valley  of  Megiddon, 
are  names  of  note  in  the  history  of  Israel,  the  name  Arma- 
geddon, i.  e.  mountain  of  Megiddo  is  not  there  to  be  found, 
a  circumstance  commented  on  by  Canon  Cook,  as  follows : 
"The  fact  that  St.  John  has  employed  the  word  Harmaged- 
don,  not  found  in  connection  with  any  locality  or  historical 
event,  of  itself  points  to  a  figurative  interpretation.  Nor 
indeed  are  we  to  think  of  literal  warfare.  Under  Judaism 
we  read  of  a  literal  Egypt,  literal  Amelek,  of  clean  and  un- 
clean animals — in  other  words,  we  recognize  the  outward 


BOOK    OF     REVELATION  75 

sign,  the  corporeal  type.  Under  Christianity  we  can  see 
only  the  broad  line  which  will  finally  separate  the  righteous 
from  the  wicked." 

To  this  we  may  add,  final  destruction  of  the  wicked, 
which  Conon  Cook,  being  an  immortal  soulist,  failed  to 
see.  Hence,  Armageddon,  mountain  of  troops,  or  moun- 
tain of  destruction,  is  in  apocalyptical  metaphor,  a  very 
suitable  expression. 

And,  dear  reader,  let  us  observe  the  conclusion  'of  the 
chapter :  "  There  came  a  great  voice  out  of  the  temple, 
saying,  it  is  done."  What  was  done?  evidently  the  work 
mentioned  in  verse  i,  the  "  vials  of  God's  wrath  had  all 
been  poured  out."  Note  also  this  word  from  our  Savior's 
blessed  lips:  "  I  am  come  to  send  fire  on  the  earth;  and 
what  will  I,  if  it  be  already  kindled?  .  .  .  Suppose  ye  that 
I  am  come  to  give  peace  on  earth?  I  tell  you,  nay;  but 
rather  division."  Luke  xii.  49,  51. 

The  revelator  portrayed  a  time  when  this  fire  shall  have 
accomplished  its  work  of  division,  When  the  "  xiascard 
seed"  shall  have  developed  into  a  tree  with  the  birds  of 
heaven  lodging  in  its  branches."  Matt.  xiii.  3r,  32.  When 
the  stone  of  Daniel,  [ii.  35],  shall  have  become  a  mountain 
filling  the  whole  earth.  When  the  "  good  seed  "  shall  all 
have  matured,  and  the  masses  of  men,  heedless  of  gospel 
truth,  shall  stand  up  against  God  and  our  Lord  Christ 
JESUS,  divided  as  seen  by  those  frog  like  spirits.  Or,  as 
written  in  verse  19,  "The  great  city"  [the  city  of  sin]  "shall 
be  divided  into  three  parts;"  as  was  old  Jerusalem  in  Pales- 
tine literally  divided  at  the  time  of  its  final  destruction, 
each  faction  warring  against  the  others. 

"  The  cities  of  the  nations  fell:  and  great  Babylon  came 
in  remembrance  before  God,  to  give  unto  her  the  cup  of 
the  wine  of  the  fierceness  of  his  wrath:"  Saying,  in  meta- 


76  STUDIES    OX    THE 

phor  what  our  Savior  said  in  parable :  "  Gather  the  tares 
together  and  burn  them  in  the  fire;"  that  is,  "gather  out  of 
His  kingdom  all  the  seducers  and  them  that  do  iniquity. " 
Matt.  xiii.  40,  41.  "And  there  voices,  and  thunders,  and 
lightnings,"  (verse  18),  omens  indicating  the  presence  of 
Almighty  power,  as  seen  from  Ex.  xix.  16.  "And  there 
was  a  great  earthquake,  such  as  was  not  since  men  were 
upon  the  earth,  so  mighty  an  earthquake,  and  so  great. " 
Verse  18. 

We  see  from  prophcy,  as  quoted  in  Heb.  xii.  26,  that 
literal  earthquakes,  and  great  commotion  of  elements,  shall 
in  that  day  be  most  terrific,  as  much  so,  perhaps,  as  in  the 
time  of  creation;  and  the  mighty  earthquake  seen  by  John, 
may  refer  to  that  commotion;  it  is  however  apparent  that 
earthquake  in  the  Revelation  refers  to  wars  and  political 
commotion ;  nor  may  we  wonder  if  these  will  be  raging  to 
the  end  of  time,  as  they  always  have.  Men  will,  at  the  end 
of  time  be  at  their  daily  vocations,  Matt.  xxiv.  40,  41, 
and  the  vocation  of  polititians,  and,  ambition  of  national 
leaders,  whether  of  kingdom,  empire,  or  republic,  being  a 
general  aim  at  territorial  expansion,  we  may  well  expect 
wars  and  political  commotion  at  the  eve  of  that  great  day; 
another  proof  that  the  "  Armageddon  battle"  is  spiritual, 
for  why  mention  warfare  in  connection  therewith  were  it  in 
itself  a  literal  war  ? 


BOOK    OF    REVELATION  77 


CHAPTER   VI. 


"THE  TWO  HORNED  BEAST" — "HIS  MARK  AND  THE  IMAGE." 
REVELATION,  CHAP.  XIII. 

As  DANIEL,  in  chapter  seven,  sees  four  beasts,  world  pow- 
ers, come  up  out  of  the  storm-tossed  sea;  so  John  in  the 
chapter  before  us,  sees  a  seven  headed  beast  rise  up  out  of 
the  sea,  and  we  notice  the  ferocious  characters — lion,  bear, 
and  leopard,  represented  in  both  visions. 

The  Patmos  beast  has  crowns  on  its  horns,  a  very  strik- 
ing similarity  to  the  ten  toes  of  Daniel  ii.,  or  the  ten  horns 
of  Daniel  chapter  seven,  denoting  Rome  in  its  divided 
state.  That  all  those  powers,  from  Babylon  down,  even  in- 
cluding the  final  divisions  of  Rome,  had  arisen  from  a 
troubled  sea;  that  is,  from  wars  and  political  uproar,  is 
well  known,  but  the  two  horned  beast  arose  out  of  the 
earth,  or  came  into  existence  without  war  or  political  com- 
motion, and  is  none  other  than  the  Catholic  church,  "Hav- 
ing two  horns  like  a  lamb."  Aye  indeed  ?  very  lamb-like 
in  its  pretentions,  even  claiming  to  be  a  representative  of 
God's  holy  Lamb;  and,  being  divided  into  Greek  and 
Roman  Catholics,  its  two  horns  protrude  in  plain  sight. 
It  speaks  as  a  dragon,  saying  here,  in  deep  metaphor  what 
Daniel  says  in  plain  open  language  of  the  same  power  : 
"He  shall  speak  words  against  the  Most  High,  and  shall 
wear  out  the  saints  of  the  Most  High,  and  shall  think  to 
change  times  and  laws,"  etc.  Dan.  vii.  25.  This  beast 


78  STUDIES    ON      THE 

lias  power  to  do  wonders  to  deceive  men  who  dwell  in  the 
earth,  while  those  dwelling  in  heaven,  i.  e.,  the  true 
heavenly  begotten  believers  "are  not  thereby  desceived," 
see  Matt.  xxiv.  24;  and  it  is  well  known  that  the  dark- 
minded  followers  of  Catholicism  are,  and  always  have  been, 
hoodwinked  and  misled  by  her  pretended  wonders. 

Rome  does  her  wonders  in  the  sight  of  the  beast,  verse 
14;  hence,  the  "two  horned  beast"  existed  before  the  old 
ten  horned  beast  was  destroyed.  History  throws  light  on 
this  vision  of  John ;  it  being  a  well  authenticated  fact,  that 
church  had  apostatized  and  become  the  two  horned  beast 
before  the  Roman  empire  had  entirely  vanished. 

The  ten  horned  beast  was  wounded  in  one  of  its  heads, 
apparently  a  mortal  wound,  and  yet  did  live.  The  revelator 
does  not  say  which  head  it  was,  but  history  proves  it  to  be 
the  seventh,  Rome,  which,  through  wars  and  internal  com- 
motions, was  seemingly  tumbling  to  pieces;  till  in  the  fourth 
century,  Constantine  the  great,  having  ascended  the  throne, 
^gathered  the  fragments  under  his  scepter;  and,  to  all  ap- 
pearances, restored  the  former  imperial  grandeur  of  Rome; 
thus  for  a  time  preventing  the  beast  from  dying. 


"THE  IMAGE  OF  THE  BEAST."     REV.  xm.  15. 

THE  word  "beast"  signifies,  in  prophetic  language,  a  world 
monarchy;  and  when,  quite  properly,  prophecy  points  us  to 
an  image,  we  look  for  something  resembling  such  a  world 
power,  or,  monarchy,  without  really  being  one,  and  such 
an  image,  such  a  sham  world  power,  did  exist  for  more 
than  one  thousand  years,  as  we  shall  see;  though,  strange 
.as  it  may  seem,  most  historians  say  little  or  nothing 
.about  it. 


BOOK    OF     REVELATION  79 

Constantine  espoused  not  only  Roman  politics  but  also 
Christianity,  corrupt  as  it  was.  It  was  under  him,  even 
under  his  personal  effort,  that  trinitarianism  was  voted  into 
power,  in  A.  D.  325.  He  moved  the  imperial  capital  from 
Rome  to  Constantinople,  or  Byzantium,  as  it  was  at  that 
time  called  ;  a  movement  naturally  concentrating  the 
Roman  military  forces  in  the  east;  and  when,  in  succeeding 
generations,  Constantinople  was  continually  harassed  by 
invaders  from  the  east,  Rome,  the  papal  seat,  was  left  to 
the  mercy  of  barbarous  tribes  inhabiting  southern  Europe, 
whose  constant  inroads  became  a  perpetual  menace  to  the 
papal  chair.  The  popes  seeing  this,  and  unable  to  get 
relief  from  Constantinople,  turned  to  the  Franks  for  aid. 

Thus,  in  the  eight  century,  the  pope  invited  Charles 
Martell,  under  promise  of  promotion  to  high  Roman  honors, 
to  come  down  and  relieve  Rome  by  force  of  arms.  Death 
hindered  Martell  from  complying  with  the  request,  but  his 
son,  Pipin,  surnamed  the  short,  marched  to  Rome  twice, 
repulsed  the  Lombards  and  was  in  consequence  greatly 
honored  by  pope  and  people. 

Not  however  till  A.  D.  800,  when  Charles  the  great, 
Charlemagne,  swept  like  a  whirlwind  against  the  invaders 
of  Rome;  and  as  a  victorious  deliverer,  midst  chantings 
and  shoutings  of  Franks  and  Latins  alike,  was  by  Pope 
Leo  III.,  crowned  emperor  of  what  was  called  the  holy 
Roman  empire,  did  the  image  of  the  beast,  predicted  in 
Rev.  xiii.  14,  actually  come  into  existence.  That  is,  by 
order  of  the  pope  was  organized  and  legalized  something 
resembling  an  empire  of  world  wide  power,  but  in  reality 
being  such  only  in  name.  It  is  true  that  Charlemagne  was 
honored  as  emperor  by  Franks  and  Latins;  but  under  his 
successors,  too  weak  to  retain  what  he  had  gathered,  em 
peror  and  empire  existed  only  as  a  shadow. 


8o  STUDIES     ON     THE 

A  German  monarch  named  Otto,  historically  known  as 
Otto  the  great,  ascending  the  imperial  throne  in  A.  D.  962, 
again  attempted  to  unite  the  scattering  fragments,  but  with 
far  less  success  than  either  Constantine  or  Charles.  Still 
the  holy  Roman  empire  was  venerated  among  men.  Daniel 
had  prophesied  that  the  God  of  heaven  would  set  up  a 
kingdom  to  cover  the  whole  earth.  That  that  kingdom  was 
Rome,  a  theory  universally  proclaimed  and  generally 
accepted  as  gospel  truth  wherever  Christianity  spread. 
Tribe  after  tribe  in  Europe  was  Christianized  and  thus 
brought  under  the  holy  Roman  imperial  sceptre;  Chris- 
tianity and  Romanism  meaning  to  them  the  same  thing. 
Not  that  those  monarchs  or  tribal  heads  abdicated  their 
thrones;  or  relinquished  one  iota  of  their  regal  power,  the 
existence  of  an  empire  was  by  them  freely  admitted;  theo- 
retically they  honored  pope  and  emperor  as  divinely  or- 
dained, practically  they  hated  and  denied  them  both.  The 
peculiarity  of  this  imperial  office  was  that  the  emperor,  gen- 
erally chosen  from  among  the  monarchs  of  Europe,  would 
be  king  of  his  native  land,  whether  Frank,  Latin,  or  Teuton ; 
and  could,  as  such,  collect  revenues  and  issue  laws  in  that 
land  or  province  only,  while  at  the  same  time  emperor  of 
all  Europe,  including  his  native  kingdom,  he  might  as 
such  emperor  demand  revenues  he  could  not  collect,  and 
issue  laws  he  was  powerless  to  enforce.  All  admitted  his 
regal  authority;  none  heeded  his  mandates. 

Matters  between  emperor  and  pope,  were  on  no  better 
basis.  The  pope  claiming  to  be  our  Savior's  vicar  on 
earth,  naturally  demanded  adoration  from  the  emperor, 
which  the  latter  only  reluctantly  gave.  Thus,  when  in 
A.  D.  1125,  a  German  monarch,  by  name,  Frederick  Bar- 
barossa,  went  to  Rome  to  be  crowned  emperor  of  the  holy 
Roman  empire,  he  refused  to  hold  the  pope's  stirrup, 
whereupon  the  pope  threatened  to  withhold  the  crown,  and 


BOOK    OF     REVELATION  8 1 

Frederck  had  to  submit.  Emperor,  Henry  V.,  went  as  far 
as  imprisoning  the  pope  and  a  number  of  cardinals,  thus 
extorting  promises  not  otherwise  obtainable,  but  only  to  be 
broken  as  soon  as  the  pope  and  his  ecclesiastical  tail  were 
liberated. 

After  the  death  of  Frederick  Barbarossa  things  went 
from  bad  to  worse.  Weaklings,  aspiring  to  the  imperial 
throne,  would  barter  for  the  crown  everything  that  made  it 
worth  having,  until  the  imperial  revenue  was  too  meager  to 
defray  the  salaries  of  its  ambassadors. 

Rome  was  the  real  capital  of  those  emperors,  but  often, 
when  going  there,  did  they  find  it  in  full  revolt,  to  be  sub- 
dued only  by  force  of  arms,  sometimes  resulting  in  expulsion 
of  the  pope.  While  the  different  European  monarchs,  though 
as  said,  freely  admitting  the  emperors  claim  as  divine, 
tolerated  it  only  as  an  unavoidable  evil,  always  seeking  to 
weaken  what  they  could  not  destroy. 

Says  James  Bryce :  "The  system  which  Constantine  had 
founded  amid  such  rejoicing,  which  culminated  so  trium- 
phantly in  the  empire  church  of  the  middle  ages  has  in 
succeeding  generations  been  slowly  losing  ground,  has  seen 
its  brightness  dimmed  and  its  completeness  marred;  and 
sees  now  (in  later  centuries)  those  who  are  most  zealous  of 
its  surviving  institutions,  feebly  defend  or  silently  desert 
the  principles  on  which  all  must  rest." 

Again,  copied  from  Bryce :  "  The  sovereigns  of  Europe 
are  solemnly  warned  that  they  are  resisting  the  powers  or- 
dained of  God.  No  law  can  bind  the  emperor,  though  he  may 
chose  to  live  in  accordance  with  them.  No  court  can  judge 
him,  though  he  may  chose  to  be  sued  in  his  own.  None  may 
presume  to  question  the  conduct  of  him  who  is  answerable 
to  God  only.  So  writes  Eneas  Syvius,  who  afterwards 
6 


82  STUDIES    ON    THE 

became  Pope  Pius  II,  while  emperor,  Henry  II,  A.  D.  1440, 
chased  from  his  capital  by  the  Hungarians,  is  wandering  an 
imperial  beggar  from  convent  to  convent ;  and  his  rebellious 
subjects  offer  the  crown  to  the  Bohemian  king." 

Such  an  empire  was,  as  all  can  see,  a  sham  of  the  meanest 
kind,  well  deserving  the  epithet  "image,"  applied  to  it  by 
the  revelator,  standing,  as  it  did,  like  an  image  on  a  wall, 
dimmed  and  marred  by  the  ravages  of  time,  being,  as  Vol- 
taire said,  neither  holy  nor  Roman,  nor  an  empire,  till  it 
vanished  in  1806,  when  Emperor  Francis  II,  of  Austria, 
abdicated  the  throne. 

The  image  had  lasted  1006  years, — sixty-six  emperors  in 
all  had  occupied  this  sham  of  a  throne, — thirty- seven  of 
whom  had  been  crowned  by  the  pope;  the  rest  by  some 
papal  representative,  and  in  Rome,  with  just  a  few  excep- 
tions. So  superstitious  had  clergy  and  laity  alike  become 
to  the  imaginary  divinity  of  their  holy  Roman  empire,  that 
no  notary  public  was  allowed  to  act  officially  unless  having 
his  credentials  from  emperor  or  pope,  hence,  no  one  could 
buy  or  sell  unless  subservient  to  the  beast,  a  pernicious 
claim  voted  down  by  the  parliament  of  Scotland  under 
James  III.  How  firm  a  footing  this  custom  had  on  the  con- 
tinent is  not  known,  but  when  it  was  firm  enough  to  demand 
adverse  legislation  in  Scotland  there  can  be  no  doubt  of  its 
prevalence  on  the  continent,  where  pope  and  emperor  were 
of  easier  access.* 

THE    MARK     OF     THE      BEAST. 

THE  two  horned  beast  gave  life  to  the  image  that  it  could 
speak.  Rev.  xiii.  15.  History  verifies  this  in  the  fact 
that  those  emperors,  though  elected  by  men  from  among 

*  For  a  readable  history  on  the  holy  Roman  empire  the  reader  will  do  well  to 
consult  James  Bryce's  book  ;  it  is  also  mentioned  in  the  Encyclopedia  Britanica. 


BOOK    OF     REVELATION  83 

the  people,  were  never  actually  invested  with  regal  power, 
if  power  we  dare  call  it,  until  crowned  by  the  pope  or  his 
legal  representatives;  hence,  the  image  did  receive  its  life 
and  power  of  speech  from  the  two  horned  beast. 

And  he,  the  two  horned  beast,  caused  all  men  to  receive 
a  mark  in  their  right  hand,  or  in  their  foreheads.  This 
marking  or  branding  evidently  refers  to  the  Roman  custom 
of  branding  their  slaves  as  means  of  identification,  similar 
to  the  branding  of  animals  in  our  day.  Not  that  any  such 
literal  mark  was  ever  put  on  any  person  within  the  mean- 
ing of  the  revelator's  language.  Yet,  it  is  a  fact  that  Cath. 
olics  in  all  lands  and  all  ages  are,  and  always  have  been, 
devoted  to  their  church,  not  with  Godly  piety  or  gospel 
light,  but  with  a  slavish  fear,  trembling  before  her  ecclesias- 
tical ban  like  a  literal  slave  before  the  master's  lash;  hence, 
spiritually  branded  with  superstition  and  ignorant  fear. 
The  number  of  this  branding  is  "666."  The  ancients,  ignor- 
ant of  modern  arithmetic,  used  letters  for  figures,  giving 
a  numerical  value  to  each  letter  in  the  alphabet,  and  ex- 
positors, following  this  method,  have  written  what  might 
be  compiled  into  volumes,  endeavoring  to  explain  the  mark 
of  the  beast.  We  shall  here  notice  simply  two  series  of 
numbers  : 

L   -fa -f   t    -fe-fi-fn-fO-fS  =  Lateinos. 

30  -f  i  -f  300+  5  -fio-f  50+70+300=    666. 
This,  as  will  be  seen,  spells  "Lateinos,"  or  "Latin,"  when 
translated  into  English,  and  also,  sums  up  "666." 

Another  method  is  as  follows: 

ee-h  L-fa-f  t  -f  i  -f  n  -f  ee=  *ee  Latmee.  ' 

8   -f3°-f  i+3°°+IO-f  5°-h  8  =        407- 

Then,  B-f  a-f  S   -f  i  -f  1  -f  e+  i  +a=  basileia. 

2  -fl-f200-f  10  +  30  +  5  +  I0-f  1=      259. 


84  STUDIES    ON      THE 

Now"ee  Latinee  basileia"  numbers  as  seen  4074-259= 
666,  and  means  in  English  "the  Latin  kingdom." 

Here  notice  a  difference,  the  former  spelling  "Lateinos, " 
the  latter  "  Latinee,"  dropping  the  letter  "e"  in  the  middle 
syllable.  The  result  would  however  be  the  same  if  either 
are  what  the  spirit  signified  when  dictating  to  John,  Latin 
being  the  outcome  of  either,  but  are  we  in  this  remote  age 
absolutely  certain  about  the  arrangement  of  the  Greek  al- 
phabet and  the  consequent  value  of  each  letter?  Did  their 
scholars  agree  in  all  places  and  at  all  times  ?  Or  if  differ- 
ing, then  who  did  John,  or  rather  the  spirit  dictating  to  himr 
follow  ?  There  will,  until  these  questions  are  answered, 
remain  a  possibility,  to  say  the  least,  that  the  cabalists 
above  referred  to  may  have  drawn  more  or  less  on  their 
own  imagination. 

"666"  is  the  number  of  "the  two  horned  beast;"  and  I 
see  no  reason  for  applying  the  term  two  horned  beast  to 
the  Papal  power  alone;  thus  entirely  ignoring  the  Greek, 
or  eastern  division  of  Catholism,  for  although  the  popes, 
and  not  the  eastern  church,  did  cause  the  image  to  be 
erected,  it  must  be  remembered  that  a  two  horned  beast 
may  push  or  gore  with  either  horn;  still  its  name  must 
apply  to  the  beast  as  a  whole. 

The  Revelation  was,  like  the  rest  of  holy  writ,  given  for 
all  lands  and  all  ages;  to  warn  men  against  the  conse- 
quences of  apostasy,  and  must  apply  to  the  Greek  as  well 
as  to  the  Roman  Gatholic  church;  hence,  it  seems  incon- 
sistent to  apply  the  number  "666"  to  Rome  only.  Nor 
could  there  be  any  harm  in  adhering  to  the  name  Latin,  or 
Latin  kingdom  ;  were  not  its  doctrine  corrupt  and  its  works 
anti-christian,  a  condition  prevailing  among  the  Greeks  as 
well  as  among  the  Romans.  I  shall  here  call  the  reader's 
attention  to  one  peculiar  incident.  The  number  "666"  is 


BOOK    OF     REVELATION  85 

found  in  the  Old  Testament  once,  and  only  once-  "  Now 
the  weight  of  gold  that  came  to  Solomon  in  one  year  was 
666  talents."  2  Chron.  ix.  13. 

Solomon  built  a  temple  typifying  the  temple  of  our 
Heavenly  Father,  now  being  built  of  living  stones;  hence, 
his  kingdom,  was  a  type  of  our  Savior's  church.  Solomon 
had,  when  ascending  the  throne,  asked  the  LORD  for  wis- 
dom to  rule  Israel,  and  it  was  granted  him,"  (2  Chron.  i. 
9-12,  but  when  the  LORD,  in  addition,  blessed  him  with 
riches  and  worldly  honor  his  heart  was  not  firm  before  the 
LORD,  he  married  foreign  women  in  direct  violation  of 
God's  law,  was  by  them  enticed  into  idolatry,  and,  neglect- 
ing the  interest  of  his  divinely  entrusted  subjects,  he 
brought  Israel  into  a  condition,  causing  revolt  and  division 
in  the  day  of  his  son  Rehoboam. 

This,  though  sounding  like  mere  political  history,  does, 
when  investigated,  contain  a  deeper  meaning.  We  read 
in  i  Kings  xii.  24,  that  the  division  of  Israel  was  the  LORD'S 
doing;  hence,  must  have  typified  or  pointed  to  some  future 
event  among  the  redeemed  people  of  God,  and  we  do  in- 
deed see  a  striking  similarity  between  the  dividing  of  Israel 
into  two  kingdoms,  both  idolatrous  and  rejected  of  God, 
and  the  dividing  of  our  Lord's  church  into  a  two  horned 
beast.  The  church,  the  virgin  daughter  of  Zion,  had,  in 
apostolic  times  emanated  from  Jerusalem,  midst  much  tribu- 
lation and  anxiety  of  heart.  But  soon  nations  were  con- 
verted, making  kings  her  admirers  and  supporters;  then, 
alas  for  her  purity!  The  virgin  born  in  a  manger  and 
reared  among  the  poorer  classes,  when  seated  in  kingly  or 
imperial  thrones,  lost  her  head  like  Solomon  in  type.  Like 
him  she  became  bewitched  with  the  "lust  of  the  flesh,  the 
lust  of  the  eyes,  and  the  pride  of  life,"  and  lost  her  divine 
virginity.  Like  Israel  of  old,  she  was  rent  in  twain  and 


86  STUDIES    ON    THE 

degenerated  into  a  two  horned  beast,  a  wordly  impious 
divided  power.  Remembering  666  to  be  the  number,  if  we 
so  shall  speak,  that  caused  Solomon's  downfall,  may  we  not 
logically  conclude  its  mystical  applicaton  in  antitype,  as  a 
warning  to  the  reader  against  contamination  with  what 
ruined  Solomon  in  type? 

The  ten  horned  beast  was  encountered  with  patience  and 
faith,  Rev.  xiii.  10,  a  fact  truly  born  out  in  the  lives  of  early 
Christian  martyrs.  But  the  two  horned  beast  and  the  image 
are  encountered  with  wisdom,  verse  18.  Many  are  the  writers 
who  have  strained  their  mental  powers  to  unravel  the  mystery 
of  the  number,  a  task,  even  should  it  prove  beyond  a  shadow 
of  a  doubt  to  spell  Latin  kingdom,  or  anything  else  connected 
with  one  or  both  branches  of  the  Catholic  church,  would 
not  at  all  be  promotive  of  true  Christian  faith,  or  victory 
over  the  beast  or  number.  But  he  who,  eudowed  with  wis- 
dom from  above,  comprehends  the  gospel  of  redemption 
in  its  purity,  is  able  to  brush  aside  all  human  dogmas  and 
heathen  superstition,  interwoven  in  the  gospel  faith  by  a 
fallen  church  in  her  days  of  carnal  ease  and  worldly  pomp, 
can  stand  aloof  from  all  man-made  creeds,  with  feet  firmly 
planted  on  the  Rock  of  Ages,  he  indeed  has  solved  the 
mystery  and  gained  the  victory  over  the  beast  and  over  his 
image  and  over  the  number  of  his  name,  though  he  may 
know  nothing  of  ancient  notation  or  rotation  of  letters  in 
the  Greek  alphabet. 

To  further  illustrate  these  facts,  refer  to  Rev.  xiv.  9-12  : 

"  If  any  man  worship  the  beast  and  his  image,  and  receive  his  mark 
in  his  forehead,  or  in  his  hand,  the  same  shall  drink  of  the  wine  of  the 
wrath  of  God,  which  is  poured  out  without  mixture  into  the  cup  of  His 
indignation  ;  and  he  shall  be  tormented  with  fire  brimstone  in  the  pre- 
sence of  the  holy  angels,  and  in  the  presence  of  the  Lamb." 

This  mark  is  received  in  the  forehead  or  hand.  Why 
not  upon  the  cheek,  or.  some  other  conspicuous  place  ? 


BOOK    OF    REVELATION  87 

Answer:  A  person's  doctrine  is  located  in  his  head; 
hence,  a  false  doctrine,  no  matter  how  innocently  accepted, 
or  how  zealous  its  advocate,  is  the  mark  of  the  beast  in  the 
forehead.  The  word  "hand,"  is  a  very  common  expression 
for  a  person's  actions.  See  Acts  ii.  23;  Ezra  vii.  25.  The 
symbol  is  plain  enough,  saying  in  veiled  language  what  Paul 
openly  wrote  to  Timothy:  "  Take  heed  to  thyself  [thy 
works],  and  to  thy  doctrine :  for  in  so  doing  thou  shalt 
both  save  thyself,  and  them  that  hear  thee. "  i  Tim.  iv.  16. 
As  also  fully  born  out  in  Rev.  xiv.  12  :  "Here is  the  patience 
of  the  saints:  here  are  they  that  keep  the  commandments 
of  God,  and  the  faith  of  JESUS  Christ." 

Indeed,  dear  brother  and  sister,  let  every  one  of  us 
"strive  earnestly  for  the  faith  once  delivered  unto  the 
saints,"  Jude  3,  even  amidst  trials  and  bloody  persecutions; 
as  was  done  by  John  and  his  contemporaries;  and  keep  his 
or  her  garments  unspotted  from  the  world;  then  neither 
"head"  nor  "hand"  shall  have  been  branded  with  beastli- 
ness of  any  kind,  but  we  shall  be  the  means,  in  our  Savior's 
hand  of  spreading  true  Christian  faith  and  good  works  to 
the  blessing  of  mankind  in  all  God's  footstool ;  and  thus 
reign  with  Christ,  in  this  symbolic  thousand  years,  as 
promised  to  the  faithful  in  Rev.  xx.  4.  Of  this  reign  with 
Christ  more  will  appear  later  on. 

The  inquiring  mind  often  asks,  What  about  the  fire  and 
brimstone  in  Rev.  xiv.  ib,  n,  shall  it  be  understood  literal? 
We  reply  by  asking,  Is  the  wrath  of  God,  or  the  cup  of  His 
indignation  literal? 

This  was  writen  at  a  time  when  punishment,  in  the  eyes 
of  judges  and  executioners,  always  meant  torment;  and 
the  greater  the  crime  the  more  barbarous  and  cruel  the 
tortures  inflicted;  hence,  the  statement  "tormented  with 
fire  and  brimstone,"  was  in  that  age  a  very  emphatic  ex- 


88  STUDIES    ON    THE 

pression,  showing  the  atrocity  of  apostatizing  from  the  true 
faith,  or  leading  lives  of  hypocrisy;  and  must  no  more  be 
taken  literal  than  our  Heavenly  Father's  wrath,  or  the  cup 
of  His  indignation.  Our  Heavenly  Father  is  all  love  and 
justice;  but  neither  wrathful  nor  indignant.  The  whole  is 
a  grand  symbol,  well  adapted  to  the  times  of  its  utterance. 

Closing  these  remarks  about  the  beast,  his  image,  or  the 
number  of  his  name,  I  wish  to  stamp  one  thought  indelibly 
upon  the  reader's  mind:  Study  redemption  as  written  by 
Paul  in  his  masterly  epistles;  get  into  the  gist  of  his  work, 
wonderful  because  divine :  grasp  it  in  its  full,  heaven  given, 
sin  healing,  import;  live  in  and  by  this  blessed  gospel  of 
life  in  Christ  JESUS  :  then  you  are  safe  upon  the  Rifted 
Rock;  and  victorious  over  the  beast  with  all  his  mysteries 
and  lying  wonders;  though  the  contents  of  the  whole 
vision  on  Patmos  remains  to  you  an  insoluble  mystery. 


BOOK    OF    REVELATION  89 


CHAPTER   VII. 


"THE  TWO  WITNESSES."     REVELATION  XL 

IN  the  latter  part  of  Revelation  x,  John  takes  a  little  book 
from  the  angel's  hand,  and  finds  it,  when  eaten,  sweet  in 
his  mouth,  but  bitter  in  his  stomach;  evidently  thus  show- 
ing that  gospel,  though  delightful,  when  embraced,  could 
not  be  proclaimed  without  persecution  and  distress.  He 
was  then  told  to  prophesy  again  before  "many  nations,  and 
tongues,  and  kings.  This  may,  at  first  sight,  look  like  a 
command  to  John  in  person,  stimulating  him  to  further 
missionary  effort,  but  a  perusal  of  what  follows  in  chapter 
eleven  assures  us  that  the  vision  means  a  good  deal  more. 

As  the  vision  proceeds,  John  was  instructed  "to  measure 
the  temple,  the  altar,  and  che  worshipers. "  The  expres- 
sions, temple  and  holy  city  are  simply  symbolical  names 
for  the  church  of  Christ,  as  plainly  seen  from  Heb.  xii.  22. 
More  will  be  said  on  this  later  on. 

This  city,  the  church,  was  to  be  trodden  under  foot 
forty-two  months.  Had  the  revealing  angel  said,  seven 
months,  or  seven  times  of  any  kind,  it  wonld  indicate  com- 
plete destruction,  seven  being  Israel's  number  of  complete- 
ness, as  F.  Ex.  in  Daniel,  chapter  four,  Nebuchadnezzar 
lost  his  reason  and  was  among  the  beasts  of  the  field  until 
seven  times  passed  over  him,  resulting  in  complete  break- 
ing down  of  his  haughty  spirit,  and  a  confession,  "that 
honor,  glory,  and  kingdom  belong  to  none  but  God." 


90  STUDIES    ON    THE 

But  forty-two  months,  or  three  and  one-half  years,  half 
of  the  full  number,  indicate  that  the  church,  during  its 
down  trodden  condition,  though  sorely  pressed  by  its  ene- 
mies, was  not  forsaken  of  God,  but  should  in  due  time  revive 
and  become  victorious,  as  also  stated  in  Dan.  vii.  25,  that 
the  little  horn,  papacy,  should  oppress  God's  people  and 
have  things  its  own  way  during  "time,  times  and  the  divid- 
ing of  time,"  =  seemingly  three  years  and  a  fraction  of  a 
year,  not  seven  years  as  in  the  case  of  Nebuchadnezzar. 

The  two  witnesses  were  to  prophesy  1260  days  =  42 
months,  likewise  half  of  complete  time,  then  be  killed  and 
lie  three  and  one-half  days  =  half  a  week,  unburried  in  the 
streets  of  a  city  called,  spiritually,  Sodom  and  Egypt, 
where  our  Lord  was  crucified. 

Had  the  Revelator  said  84  months,  or  seven  years,  we 
should  have  looked  upon  it  as  a  finishing  of  their  work. 
But  42  months,  half  of  a  complete  time,  indicates  that  their 
work  was  only  half  done,  as  also  their  dead  but  unburried 
condition,  during  3^  days,  indicate  renewed  life  and  ac- 
tivity. In  full  accord  with  Rev.  x.,  n:  "Thou  must 
prophesy  again,"  etc. 

But  who  are  those   witnesses  ? 

Attempts  are  often  made  to  associate  the  two  witnesses 
on  Patmos  with  the  "two  olive  trees"  of  Zechariah,  chapter 
four,  when,  in  fact,  the  two  have  nothing  in  common. 

The  vision  seen  by  Zechariah  was  the  word  of  God  to 
Zerubbabel,  that  the  temple,  commenced  by  him,  should 
by  him  be  completed,  see  verses  6-9;  hence,  the  vision 
on  Patmos,  given  about  six  hundred  years  later,  has  noth- 
ing in  common  with  it,  except  so  far  as  the  lesser  may 
typify  the  greater. 


BOOK    OF     REVELATION  9! 


MOSES  and  Elijah,  having  appeared  on  the  mount  of  trans- 
figuration, may  be  called  the  Lord's  two  witnesses,  and 
many  writers  have  surmised  them  as  personally  indicated 
in  Revelation  xi.  3.  This,  like  a  great  many  other  apoca- 
lyptical explanations,  is  simply  a  mistake,  taking  the  type, 
or  representation  instead  of  that  typified,  or  represented. 

What  an  absurd  notion  that  two  persons,  once  gone  from 
earth,  should  return,  testify  literally  in  sackcloth  during  42 
months;  then  be  killed  and  lie  unburried  3^  literal  days 
in  the  streets  of  old  Jerusalem;  finally  revive  and  literally 
go  up  into  heaven  in  a  literal  cloud,  in  plain  sight  of  their 
enemies;  or  that  literal  prophets  should  slay  their  enemies 
with  fire  from  their  mouths.  Yet  such  must  be  our  conclu- 
sion were  it  Moses  and  Elijah,  or  other  literal  person 
the  Revelator  had  in  view.  It  should  always  be  born  in 
mind  that  antitype,  and  not  type,  is  what  the  Revelator 
sees. 

Power  to  shut  the  heavens  that  it  rain  not,  to  smite 
their  enemies  with  fire  from  heaven,  and  to  smite  the  earth 
with  plagues,  was  delegated  to  Moses  and  Elijah;  but 
those  phenomena  having  taken  place  in  a  typical  dispensa- 
tion, we  are  forced  to  look  upon  them  as  types.  Or,  in 
other  words,  to  look  upon  Moses  and  Elijah  as  typifying 
something  in  God's  economy :  namely  the  Law  and  the 
Gospel. 

Lest,  however,  we  mistake  in  accepting  law  and  gospel, 
or  Old  and  New  Covenants,  as  the  two  witnesses,  let  us 
look  at  Rev.  xi.  5,  "  Fire  proceedeth  out  of  their  mouths, 
and  devoured  their  enemies." 

Applying  this  to  literal  persons,  is  as  said  above,  entirely 


92  STUDIES     ON     THE 

absurd,  but  the  law  and  the  gospel  do  possess  that  power : 
that  is,  the  word  spoken  in  either  dispensation  shall  be  the 
means  of  destruction  to  its  rejectors:  "  He  that  despiseth 
the  law  of  Moses  dieth  without  mercy  under  two  or  three 
witnesses."  Heb.  x.  28. 

Again:  "He  that  rejecteth  Me,  and  receiveth  not  My 
words,  hath  one  that  judgeth  him  :  the  word  that  I  have 
spoken,  the  same  shall  judge  him  in  the  last  day."  John 
xii  48.  All  will  admit  that  the  law  was  God's  testimony 
among  men  given  to  Israel,  as  plainly  stated  in  Deut.  vi. 
20;  and  also  that  the  gospel  is  our  Lord's  testimony  unto 
all  the  world  through  Israel.  And  who  can,  if  familiar  with 
church  history  in  any  age,  fail  to  see  the  sackcloth. 

"  My  bowels,  my  bowels,  I  am  pained  at  heart,"  (Jer. 
iv.  19),  exclaims  the  prophet  when  seeing  the  tribulation 
ripening  on  God's  people  because  of  sin. 

Elijah  :  "They  have  dug  down  Thine  altars,  and  killed  Thy 
prophets  ;  I  only  am  left,  and  they  seek  my  life. "  i  Kings 
xix.  10.  Behold  Paul's  parting  address  to  the  Ephesian 
elders,  (Acts  xx.  29-31),  his  anxiety  and  care  manifested 
in  all  his  epistles  over  the  churchss;  seeing,  as  he  did,  the 
corrupt  condition  into  which  they  were  drifting.  Above 
all,  behold  our  Savior's  lamentation:  "  O  Jerusalem,  Jeru- 
salem," etc.  Matt,  xxiii.  37,  sackcloth  indeed. 

And  did  not  the  Catholic  church  kill  those  two  witnesses  in 
the  first  centuries  of  Christianity,  absolutely  nullifying  both 
law  and  gospel  with  their  silly  nonsensical  man-made  cere- 
monies ?  caring  no  more  about  our  heavenly  Father's 
plainly  spoken  words  than  were  they  so  many  heathen 
fables;  yet  never  permitting  them  to  vanish  out  of  sight, 
as  if  buried.  The  word  of  God  was  theoretically  held  in 
high  esteem  throughout  the  dark  ages,  carefully  guarded  in 
their  monastery  archives,  but  so  sadly  misconstrued,  per- 


BOOK    OF    REVELATION  93 

verted  and  slighted,  that  it  was  in  reality  nothing  but  a 
dead  letter,  flung  upon  the  streets  of  their  city,  /.  e.  their 
sin  besotten  ecclesia,  filled  with  Egyptian  darkness,  Egyp- 
tian idolatry  and  Sodomian  polution  and  crime;  hence, 
spiritually  called  Sodom  and  Egypt;  surely  a  condition  of 
things  in  which  our  Lord  was  killed.  "  And  they  that 
dwell  upon  the  earth  shall  rejoice  over  them,  and  make 
merry,  and  send  gifts  to  one  another;  because  these  two 
prophets  tormented  them  that  dwell  on  the  earth."  Rev. 
xi.  10. 

Men  who  dwell  on  the  earth,  that  is,  not  belonging  to 
the  apocalyptical  heaven,  because,  adhering  to  false  doc- 
trine they  fail  to  grasp  the  true  saving  gospel,  are  always 
tormented  by  the  true  word  of  God;  and  feel  happy  when 
thinking  they  have  trampled  it  under  foot.  Father  Chinique, 
in  his  book,  "  Fifty  Years  in  Rome,"  gives  a  vived  picture 
of  conditions  in  the  Catholic  church  to  day,  showing  the 
exceeding  satisfaction  and  carnal  pride  of  her  blind  guides 
when  setting  their  own  ceremonies  above  the  word  of  God, 
prostrating  themselves  before  a  statue  of  wood,  clay,  or 
metal,  in  sheer  violation  of  holy  writ.  (See  Ex.  xx.  4,  5, 
omitted  in  their  catechisms),  carrying  their  god,  a  conse- 
crated wafer,  around  in  their  vest  pocket,  thinking  a  lump 
of  common  dough,  emanating  from  the  fingers  of  their 
servant  girls,  has  been  deified  and  received  sin-remitting 
power  by  virtue  of  their  humanly  ordained  incantations. 
But  why  enlarge  upon  this  subject?  Their  ceremonies  in' 
the  form  of  crossings,  litanies,  holy  water,  etc.,  etc.,  are  well 
known  to  every  man  and  woman  of  common  sense;  and 
are  all  as  contrary  to  "Thus  saith  the  LORD,"  as  night  is  to 
day. 

It  being  so  in  our  age  and  land,  where  bibles  are 
known;  and  to  some  extent  read,  even  among  catholic 
laity;  what  must  it  have  been  in  the  dark  ages  when  the 


94  STUDIES    ON    THE 

word  of  God  was  securely  hidden  by  their  clergy,  killed, 
never,  as  they  supposed,  again  to  revive? 

But  the  two  witnesses  did  revive.  A  giant  by  name, 
Martin  Luther,  anxious  about  salvation;  sorrowful  of  heart 
about  his  lost  condition ;  and  unable  to  obtain  succor  from 
all  the  rites  and  ceremonies  invented  by  Romish  priests, 
turned  to  holy  writ,  and  there  found  comfort  in  just  one 
short  sentence:  "The  just  shall  live  by  faith."  It  was  here 
he  found  his  otherwise  not  obtainable  peace  of  soul.  He 
realized  that  God's  word,  and  it  only,  is  able  to  make  wise 
unto  salvation;  and,  gave  his  countrymen  a  faithful  trans- 
lation of  both  Old  and  New  Testament.  Thus  life  from 
the  spirit  of  God  entered  again  into  the  two  witnesses  and 
they  stood  on  their  feet.  Yea  more  than  that,  they  went 
up  to  heaven,  not  up  in  the  skies,  but  up  into  the  apocalyp- 
tical heaven,  the  church  of  our  Heavenly  Father's  blessed 
Lamb.  Their  enemies,  the  Pope  and  his  ecclesiastical  tail, 
beheld  but  could  not  stop  them.  Up  they  went,  and  there, 
thanks  to  heavenly  mercy,  they  stand  to  day,  prophesying 
again  before  many  nations  and  tongues  and  kings.  "There 
was  at  the  same  hour  a  great  earthquake,"  verse  13.  In- 
deed there  was;  a  war  that  shook  Europe  from  north  to 
south  and  lasted  thirty  years,  followed  the  reformation  in 
the  very  hour  of  its  birth. 

The  space  designed  for  this  work  forbidding  detailed 
remarks  on  the  rest  of  chapter  eleven,  we  shall  simply 
glance  at  verse  19.  "  The  temple  of  God  was  open  in 
heaven,  and  the  ark  of  his  testimony  was  seen."  The 
temple  or  tabernacle  with  its  ever  veiled  holy  of  holies, 
was  a  figure  representing  that  the  way  to  God's  presence, 
the  fountain  of  eternal  life,  was  at  that  time  closed.  Seie 
Heb.  ix.  7-9.  But  Christ,  the  great  High  Priest,  of  whom 
all  Aaronic  high  priests  were  shadows,  opened  the  way  to 
life,  by  entering  in  and  abolishing  the  real  obstructing  veil, 


BOOK    OF     REVELATION  95 

sin  in  the  flesh;  hence,  the  great  significant  rending  of  the 
shadow,  the  temple  veil,  when  He  expired.  Let  us  then 
in  Rev.  xi.  19,  keep  our  eyes  on  the  true  tabernacle,  and 
not  on  the  type,  as  they  do  in  Battle  Creek,  thinking  to  see 
in  heaven  a  real  tent,  with  curtains,  compartments,  and 
divers  instruments  for  typical  worship,  belonging  to  the 
Aaronic  order  only. 

We  do  indeed  behold  the  true  tabernacle  in  the  apoca- 
lyptical heaven.  We  do,  in  the  church  of  Christ,  see  the 
ark  of  His  testimony,  redemption  in  Christ  JESUS,  that  had 
been  lost  sight  of  during  the  half  week  the  two  witnesses 
lay  dead  in  the  spiritual  Sodom,  when  men  tried  to  purify 
themselves  by  sacraments  and  countless  man-made  cere- 
monies, still  practised  within  the  fold  of  Catholic  night  and 
superstitious  darkness.  He  who  will  can  study  God's  holy 
word,  without  regard  to  priest  or  prelate;  can  see  redemp- 
tion in  its  glory,  of  which  the  Aaronic  arrangement  was 
merely  a  type;  he  "can  draw  near  to  God  in  lull  assur- 
ance of  faith,  having  his  heart  sprinkled  from  an  evil  con- 
science, and  his  body  washed  in  pure  water,"  Heb.  x.  22, 
thus  approaching  the  tree  of  life,  that  was  barred  when 
Adam  fell,  but  made  accessible  when  our  great  Redeemer 
expiated  the  penalty  on  Calvary's  accursed  tree. 

And  as  the  typical  ark  stayed  the  Jordan  waters,  enabl- 
ing the  people  to  pass  over  dry  shod,  Josh.  iii.  11-17,  so  to 
day  the  eye  of  true  Christian  faith,  beholds  the  antitypical 
ark,  redemption  in  Christ  JESUS,  staying  the  turrents  of 
death,  assuring  our  Lord's  sleeping  saints  of  a  life  beyond 
the  grave,  as  it  is  written  : 

"Yea,  though  I  walk  through  the  valley  of  the  shadow  of  death,  I 
•will  fear  no  evil  :  for  Thou  art  with  me;  Thy  rod  and  Thy  staff  they 
comfort  me."— Ps.  xxiii  4. 

Indeed,  we  see  the  ark  of  His  testimony;  henc^,  Paul  : 
•"O  death,  where  is  thy  sting?  O  grave,  where  is  thy  victory?"  iCor.  xv.55. 


96  STUDIES    ON    THE 


CHAPTER    VIII. 


"THE  FIRST  RESURRECTION,"  AND  THE  MILLENNIAL  REIGN. 
REV.   xx.   4-6. 

WE  must,  as  formerly  stated,  when  interpreting  the  book 
of  Revelation,  always  base  our  explanation  on  some  definite 
statement,  taken  either  from  the  book  itself,  or  from  some 
other  bible  source,  and  above  all  be  sure  that  doctrinal 
points,  though  seemingly  clear  in  the  Revelation,  are  in  full 
accord  with  all  other  statements  relative  thereto  in  any 
other  part  of  God's  book.  The  word  of  God  does  always 
harmonize  if  rightly  interpreted. 

One  thing  we  may  be  sure  of,  search  the  word  of  God 
wherever  we  may,  and  as  long  as  texts  can  be  found,  flatly 
and  plainly  contradicting  our  doctrine,  wholly  or  in  part, 
so  long  we  may  be  assured  it  is  wrong,  and  should,  by  deep 
and  prayerful  study,  seek  to  correct  it.  •'  The  truth  shall 
make  you  free."  John  viii.  32.  With  these  thoughts  we 
turn  to  our  text. 

"  I  saw  thrones,  and  they  sat  upon  them. "  Who  sat  on 
them?  Evidently  those  mentioned  later  on  in  the  same 
verse,  "who  lived  and  reigned  with  Christ  a  thousand  years. " 
This  living  and  reigning  with  Christ,  whatever  that  may 
mean,  is  the  result  of  the  first  resurrection,  as  plainly 
seen  from  the  connection. 

Some  Advent  ministers  read  verse  five  b*y  itself,  as 
follows:  "But  the  rest  of  the  dead  lived  not  till  the  thou- 
sand years  were  finished,  this  is  the  first  resurrection;"  thus 


BOOK    OF    REVELATION  97 

placing  the  first  resurrection  at  the  ending  of  the  thousand 
years.  Such  interpretation,  however,  is  merely  subterfuge, 
resorted  to  by  men  not  knowing  what  to  do  with  the  first 
resurrection. 

Some  exponents  claim  that  the  Revelator  makes  no 
mention  of  a  second  resurrection;  and,  be  it  freely  ad- 
mitted, the  words  second  resurrection  are  not  there,  but  the 
expression  "first"  carries  with  it  the  idea  of  a  "second,"  as 
also  do  verses  five  and  six,  though  the  verbatim  expression 
does  not  occur.  Looking  straight  at  the  matter  from  the 
common  "Age-to-come"  standpoint,  we  see  here  two  literal 
resurrections  ;  hence,  there  must  be  two  judgments  ;  for 
surely  no  one  can  get  his  crown  of  reward  except  he 
appears  before  the  judgment  seat  of  Christ.  2  Cor.  v.  10; 
also  John  v.  22.  But  the  idea  of  two  judgments  is  entirely 
out  of  harmony  with  all  else  in  God's  book,  and  therefore 
absolutely  false,  though  it  may  seemingly  so  appear  in  the 
book  of  Revelation. 

Not  only  is  the  bible  elsewhere  wholly  silent  about  two 
literal  resurrections,  followed  by  two  judgments  but  we  are 
again  and  again  plainly  and  positively  informed  that  both 
classes,  good  and  bad,  shall  appear  before  the  Lord  at  the 
same  time,  for  reward  or  punishment,  as  their  cases  may 
merit.  Matt.  xiii.  40-49;  xxv.  31-46;  Rom.  ii.  9-16;  2 
Thess.  i.  6-10;  Rev.  xi.  18.  Seeing  all  these,  and  many 
similar  texts,  flatly  contradicting  this  two-resurrection 
theory,  we  can  feel  perfectly  sure  that  it  is  wrong.  Still 
we  must  not  overlook  Rev.  xx.  4.  It  means  something  and 
must  be  in  accord  with  all  other  bible  writers,  or  our 
Heavenly  Father's  book  would  be  faulty.  There  are,  as 
we  shall  see,  two  resurrections  mentioned  in  the  bible, 
though  never  more  than  one  judgment.  "  Verily,  verily,  I 
say  unto  you,  The  hour  cometh,  and  now  is,  when  the  dead 
7 


98  STUDIES    ON     THE 

shall  hear  the  voice  of  the  Son  of  God :  and  they  that  hear 
shall  live."     John  v.  25. 

That  this  means  more  than  bringing  back  to  mortal  life 
of  a  few  in  our  Savior's  day,  is  evident,  for  He  says:  "  If 
any  man  keep  My  sayings,  he  shall  never  see  death. "  John 
viii.  51.  And  again,  "Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you,  He 
that  heareth  My  words,  and  believeth  on  Him  that  sent 
Me,  hath  everlasting  life,  and  shall  not  come  into  condem- 
nation; but  has  passed  from  death  unto  life."  John  v.  24. 
And  again,  "  Your  fathers  did  eat  manna  in  the  wilderness, 
and  are  dead,  ...  if  any  man  eat  of  this  bread  he  shall 
live  forever. "  John  vi.  49-51.  And  again,  "He  that  be- 
lieveth on  Me,  though  he  were  dead,  yet  shall  he  live;  and 
he  that  liveth  and  believeth  on  Me  shall  never  die. "  John 
xi.  25,  26. 

But,  says  the  objector,  All  this  has  nothing  to  do  with 
raising  the  dead.  The  word  resurrection  does  not  occur 
in  any  of  those  texts.  True,  our  Lord  does  not  use  that 
word,  but  He  does  use  its  equivalent.  "  Dead  hear  and 
live."  In  the  hour  that  then  was.  "  Pass  from  death  unto 
life. "  What  does  that  mean  if  not  resurrection  ?  Or  is 
resurrection  anything  but  a  passing  from  death  unto  life  ? 
In  another  place  He  said,  "Let  the  dead  bury  their  dead." 
Matt.  viii.  22.  The  class  of  men  whom  He  there  called 
dead,  were  alive  in  the  human  sense  of  speaking,  occupied 
in  burying  the  corps  of  a  fellow  mortal;  but  they  were 
under  sentence  of  death  because  of  sin,  hence,  dead  unto 
God,  though  literally  living;  on  the  same  principle  that 
Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob  were  alive  unto  God  when  the 
angel  spoke  to  Moses  at  the  burning  bush,  though,  to 
human  eyes,  literally  dead.  Luke  xx.  38.  Paul  says,  "  I 
am  crucified  with  Christ,  nevertheless  I  live."  Gal.  ii.  20. 
Paul  could  not  have  been  crucified  with  Christ  and  still 


BOOK    OF    REVELATION  99 

live  without  having  had  a  resurrection.  If  however  we 
must  have  the  verbatim  expression  then  turn  to  Col.  iii. 
i:  "If  ye  then  be  risen  with  Christ,"  etc.  And  again: 
"When  we  were  dead  in  sin,  hath  [God]  quickened  us  to- 
gether with  Christ,  (by  grace  ye  are  saved),  and  hath  raised 
us  up  together,  and  made  us  sit  together  in  heavenly  places 
in  Christ  JESUS,"  etc.  Eph.  ii.  5,  6. 

This  is  plain  talk  stating  we  have  had  a  resurrection  ; 
and  what  good  is  baptism  into  our  Lerd's  death  if  it  does 
not  also  take  us  into  His  resurrection?  but  if  it  does,  then 
surely  we  get  a  resurrection  when  coming  into  Christ,  and 
shall  never  die,  if  keeping  His  words;  or,  as  written  in 
Rev.  ii.  ii,  "Shall  not  be  hurt  of  the  second  death." 

If  needing  further  proof  let  us  turn  to  the  prophet : 
"  After  two  days  will  He  revive  us,  in  the  third  day  He 
will  raise  us  up,  and  we  shall  live  in  His  sight."  Hos.  vi.  2. 
That  this  refers  to  our  Savior's  resurrection  needs  no  proof, 
and  includes  all  believers,  for  note  the  prophet's  words : 
"Raise  us  up  and  we  shall  live  in  His  sight." 

'  It  may  be  claimed  that  all  these  statements  are  merely 
metaphor,  but,  we  ask,  was  our  Lord's  resurrection  a  meta- 
phor? surely  not.  It  was  the  first  resurrection  unto  life 
eternal.  He  being  the  first-fruit  of  them  that  slept,  i  Cor. 
xv.  20,  and  we  are  made  partakers  of  it  by  baptism  into 
Christ.  "  Likewise  reckon  ye  also  yourselves  to  be  dead 
indeed  unto  sin,  but  alive  unto  God  through  JESUS  Christ 
our  Lord."  Rom.  vi.  IT.  Amen  !  brother  Paul:  alive 
through  Christ  our  Lord,  because  partakers  of  His  resur- 
rection. 

If  however  we  shall  call  all  this  metaphorical,  because 
"we,"  as  saith  the  prophet,  "Live  in  God's  sight,"  a  condi- 
tion not  visible  to  mortal  eyes,  then  why  object  to  meta- 
phors in  Rev.  xx.  4.  Must  the  word  resurrection  in  this 


100  STUDIES    ON    THE 

wonderful  book,  so  full  of  metaphor,  allegory,  and  symbol, 
necessarily  be  looked  upon  as  literal;  when,  as  seen  above, 
both  Old  and  New  Testament  writers,  call  redemption  in 
Christ  a  resurrection,  though,  to  human  eyes,  merely  such 
in  metaphor? 

Let  us  now  look  at  matters  a  little  closer:  Rev.  xx.  4-6, 
mentions  two  resurrections  a  thousand  years  apart,  of  this 
thousand  years  more  will  be  said  later  on ;  but  there  is  no 
mention  of  any  judgment  till  after  the  second  resurrection. 
So  in  John  v.  21-24,  no  mention  is  made  of  any  judgment 
following  the  resurrection  of  verse  25;  but  verse  29  is  ex- 
plicit about  a  judgment  following  its  resurrection;  for  hear 
Him  say :  "  A  resurrection  unto  life,  and  ....  a  resur- 
rection unto  condemnation." 

All  this  is  in  full  harmony  with  Paul,  who  makes  no 
mention  of  any  judgment  following  the  resurrection  in  Ga- 
latians,  Colossians,  or  Ephesians,  quoted  above,  and  by 
him  placed  in  the  past;  but  he,  like  the  Revelator  or  our 
Lord,  in  John  v.  25-29,  is  very  explicit  about  a  'judgment 
following  the  second  resurrection,  which  is  yet  future. 

Comparing  John  v.  28,  29,  with  Rom.  ii.  9-16,  and  Rev. 
xx,  12-15,  we  can  not  fail  to  see  the  same  idea  presented 
by  them  all :  and  may  freely  admit  the  resurrection  of  Rev. 
xx.  4,  to  be  identical  with  that  of  John  v.  25,  and  Col.  iii.  T. 
Not  a  literal  coming  out  of  the  grave,  but  a  rising  out  of 
sin  and  condemnation  unto  death;  into  life,  liberty,  and 
sonship  of  God,  by  entering  the  resurrection  of  our  Lord 
Christ  JESUS. 

Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob  were,  in  the  day  of  Moses, 
alive  unto  God  ;  though  actually  in  a  state  of  atomical 
dissolution. 

Abraham  was,  before  God,  the  father  of  many  nations, 
while  as  yet  wholly  childless.  Rom.  iv.  17. 


BOOK    OF    REVELATION  IOI 

So  in  Rev.  xx.  4,  all,  who  through  faith  in  Christ  JESUS 
our  Lord,  and  union  with  Him^  have  conquered  the  beast, 
and  withstood  all  its  enticements;  are,  though  they  may 
be  martyrized  and  literally  sleeping  in  the  bosom  of  mother 
earth,  alive  unto  God,  who  calls  the  things  that  are  not  as 
though  they  were. 

To  God,  events  past  or  future  are  ever  present,  and  we 
must  bear  in  mind  that  John  was  in  the  spirit  and  saw 
things  from  a  spiritual  point  of  view,  when,  in  his  island 
exile,  obtaining  those  wonderful  visions.  This  brings  out 
the  words  of  Hosea  in  full  glare  :  "We  shall,"  when  raised 
up  in  third  day,  "live  in  God's  sight,"  net  in  DISH'S  sight 


WHAT    ABOUT    THE    THRONES  ? 

THE  word  throne,  whether  found  in  or  out  of  the  bible, 
carries  with  it  the  unmistakable  idea  of  authority  or  honor; 
hence,  the  word  throne  of  God,  signifying  our  Heavenly 
Father's  authority  or  rulership;  for  we  can  hardly  sup- 
pose, the  great  incomprehensible  "I  AM,"  Whom  the 
heaven  of  heavens  can  not  contain,  actually  seated  on  a 
throne  or  seat  of  any  kind. 

Again:  The  Scribes  and  Pharisees  sat  in  Moses' seat, 
Matt,  xxiii.  2,  not  seated  on  any  literal  stool  formerly 
used  by  Moses,  but  occupying  that  position  of  authority, 
formerly  given  to  Moses  from  on  high. 

This,  from  the  Master's  lips,  is  sure  proof  of  what  is,  in 
bible  language,  meant  by  seat  or  throne. 

It  has  been  shown  above  that  any  person  passing  from 
death  to  life,  through  faith  in  our  Lord  Christ  JESUS,  and 
not  worshiping  the  beast,  i.  e.  keeping  himself  unspotted 
from  the  world,  has,  in  the  true  bible  sense,  never  died, 


IO2  STUDIES    ON     THE 

and  never  will  die;  and,  we  ask,  are  not  those  holy  men 
ruling  the  world  to-day?  Most  assuredly  they  are.  Our 
Lord  promised  the  twelve  that  they  should,  in  the  re- 
generation, sit  on  twelve  thrones  ruling  the  twelve  tribes 
of  Israel.  The  time  of  regeneration  is  now;  or  Paul  has 
made  a  mistake  in  calling  baptism  "a  washing  of  regenera- 
tion." Titus  iii.  5.  Every  child  of  God  confesses  himself 
born  again,  simply  another  way  of  claiming  regeneration, 
the  two  words  express  the  same  idea.  It  is  therefore 
utterly  inconsistent  to  place  regeneration  in  the  future,  as 
generally  done  by  Adventists;  if  men  and  women  are  re- 
generated, or  born  again,  in  this  age,  then  this,  and  not 
the  future*  age-j  is  the  time  of  regeneration  ;  and  that  the 
twelves  apcystles  did,  in  the  day  of  their  lives,  literally  rule 
God's  chosen  -Israel,  the  little  remnant  mentioned  by  Paul 
in  Rom.  ix.  8,  and  xi.  5,  and  called  by  him  "the  Israel  of 
God,"  Gal.  vi.  16,  no  one  would  attempt  to  deny. 

The  regal  authority  of  a  king  does  not  cease  because  he 
goes  to  sleep.  Alas  for  mortal  kings  were  such  the  case. 
A  monarch  issues  his  decrees  of  rulership  and  justice,  and 
lies  down  to  rest,  fully  assured  that  his  mandates  will  be 
heeded  and  everything  run  smooth  when  he  sleeps  as  when 
awake. 

So  with  those  heavenly  ordained  kings,  having  in  their 
years  of  wakefulness  and  labor,  laid  down  rules  for  the 
government  of  mankind,  as  ordained  by  the  King  of  kings; 
they  laid  down,  not  to  die,  in  the  full  sense  of  that  word, 
but  to  sleep  in  JESUS,  fully  persuaded  that  their  ordinances, 
once  consigned  to  parchment,  would  be  obeyed  among 
men,  as  they  also  are  to-day;  and  will  continue  to  be  until 
those  august  kings  shall  awake  on  that  great  eventful  morn- 
ing; for  though  admitting  the  field  fearfully  pestered  with 
tares,  the  wheat  is  also  there  in  full  growth,  and  speedily 
nearing  maturity. 


BOOK    OF    REVELATION  103 

He  must  indeed  be  hopelessly  blind  who  cannot  see  the 
execution  of  Christian  laws  in  this  age  throughout  all  civili- 
zation, not  only  through  governments,  mild  and  beneficent, 
as  compared  with  governments  of  old;  but  through  asy- 
lums, lodges,  or  divers  institutions  and  organizations  of 
charity,  shedding  blessings  innumerable  to  the  remotest 
corner  of  every  land  where  the  name  of  Christ  is  held  in 
awe  and  esteem.  Even  at  this  hour  when  cries  of  agony 
and  death  are  flying  over  our  land  from  woe  stricken  Texas,* 
every  available  means  within  the  reach  of  man  is  pressed 
into  service,  that  suffering  may  be  alleviated  with  all 
possible  speed. 

Thus  it  is  in  all  Christian  lands,  and  in  Christian  lands 
only,  as  seen  again  to-day  when  similar  reports,  only  of  a 
far  more  horrible  nature,  come  from  the  West  Indies  ;  not 
only  America  but  the  nations  of  Europe  bestir  themselves 
to  relieve  the  sufferings  of  those  sadly  bereft  ones  left  from 
the  cold  grasp  of  death. 

How  different  all  this  compared  with  the  barbarity  of 
past  ages,  or  Heathen  lands  of  to-day,  unaided  by  our 
Heavenly  Father's  message  of  mercy  and  truth. 

Let  it  be  admitted  then  that  Christian  leaders,  among 
whom  the  chosen  twelve  are  chief,  do  rule  the  world, 
though  succumbing  to  the  sleep  of  death,  as,  one  by  one, 
their  life-lease  expires.  To  mortal  eyes  they  disappear, 
and  are,  except  so  far  as  their  writings  continue  their 
memory,  soon  forgotten  by  succeeding  generations.  But  to 
eyes  vivified  by  spirit,  as  were  the  eyes  of  John  on  Patmos, 
they  are  as  fully  alive,  and  in  authority,  as  Abraham  was 
alive  when  God  spoke  to  Moses  at  the  bush. 

It  has  been  claimed  that  none    but  martyrs  are  men- 

*  This  was  written  in  form  of  a  private  letter  about  the  time  of  the  Galveston, 
Texas,  disaster. 


104  STUDIES    ON    THE 

tioned  in  Rev.  xx.  4.  Such  claim  however  is  not  well 
founded.  To  me  it  seems  to  include  all  who  have  not 
worshiped  the  beast  or  his  image,  or  received  his  mark  in 
head  or  hand.  But  even  if  admitting  that  martyrs  alone 
are  here  included  the  case  remains  the  same.  The  Lord 
does  always  give  consolation  and  strength  to  His  people  in 
the  hour  of  need;  and  remembering  that  that  most,  if  not 
all,  of  our  Lord's  chosen  vessels  were,  at  the  writing  of  this 
wonderful  book,  every  moment  in  danger  of  losing  their 
lives  for  the  Master's  cause,  we  may  well  understand,  that 
particular  consolation  and  encouragement  were  needed 
by  them  and  therefore  given  to  them,  although  others,  more 
favored  from  a  human  point  of  view  are  included  in  the 
number.  And  when  we  further  realize,  as  seen  from  Rev. 
xii.  n,  that  the  willingness  to  become  a  martyr  was  one  of 
the  weapons  that  conquered  the  dragon,  we  may  not  won- 
der that  none  but  martyrs  are  mentioned  here,  should  the 
text  necessarily  be  so  construed. 

But,  says  the  objector:  Alas,  for  millennial  peace  if 
this  age  of  wars,  tribulation,  and  strife  is  the  promised  mil- 
lennium. 

The  idea  of  a  peaceful  millennial  reign  has  become  so 
riveted  in  the  public  mind  that  all  men  talk  about  it  as  a 
fixed  fact;  yet,  be  it  freely  and  fearlessly  affirmed,  there  is, 
within  the  two  bible  lids,  no  such  promise.  Rev.  xx.  4, 
does  not  say  one  word  about  peace  or  tranquillity.  It  says, 
they  reigned  with  Christ ;  but  whether  in  peace  or  terror  is 
not  even  hinted  at.  Their  reign  may,  for  aught  we  can 
judge  from  this  text,  and  no  where  else  is  millennium  men- 
tioned, be  as  calm  as  a  river,  or  as  turbulent  as  a  storm- 
tossed  sea;  nothing  supporting  either  theory  or  opinion 
can  be  gathered  from  the  text. 

The    rulership    of   Christ  was    neither    calm    nor  light 


BOOK    OF     REVELATION  105 

handed,    when   last    in   hand.      He    drove    merchants    and 
brokers  from  the  Father's  holy  court. 

Now  turning  to  Rev.  ii.  26,  where  the  same  rulership  is 
mentioned,  we  read:  "To  him  that  overcometh,  and  keep- 
eth  My  words  unto  the  end,"  (merely  another  form  of  say- 
ing that  he  does  not  conform  to  the  beast  or  his  image), 
"to  him  will  I  give  power  over  the  nations:  and  he  shall 
rule  them  with  a  rod  of  iron ;  as  the  vessels  of  a  potter  shall 
they  be  broken  to  shivers:  even  as  I  received  it  of  My 
Father."  This  is  a  promise  of  anything  but  tranquility, 
and  any  person  who  considers  an  iron  rod  the  prope'r 
means  of  bliss  to  a  potter's  vessel,  had  better  go  at  it 
and  try  it. 

Vigorously  did  those  heavenly  ordained  kings  wield  the 
the  rod  against  the  ten  horned  beast,  wrestling,  not  against 
flesh  and  blood,  but  against  spiritual  wickedness  in  high 
places.  Eph.  vi.  12.  John  the  baptist,  lost  his  life  when 
reprimanding  Herod  for  adultery.  Paul  was  beheaded  be- 
cause he  brought  the  gospel  into  Cesar's  household;  even 
converting  some  of  his  concubines.  Thus  the  warfare  con- 
tinued, as  predicted  by  our  Lord  in  Matt.  x.  34-37,  till  the 
Roman  monarchy  was  dashed  into  countless  fragments;  nor 
has  it,  from  that  day  till  this,  ever  been  possible  for  any 
man,  or  number  of  men,  to  re-erect  a  world  domain.  Try 
how  or  where  they  might,  their  efforts  have  always  proved 
fruitless,  because  our  Lord  JESUS  Anointed  "  is  King  of 
kings,  and  Lord  of  lords. " 

Age-to-come  advocates  cling  to  the  theory  of  a  literal 
thousand  years;  but  do  so  without  logic  or  proof.  Why 
should  that  one  expression  be  literal  when  all  else  in  the 
book  of  Revelation  are  allegory  or  symbpl  ?  "A  -thousand 
years  is  with  God  as  one  day,  and  one  day  as.  a  thousand 
years;"  it  evidently  signifies  a  long  period,  as  compared 


106  STUDIES    ON    THE 

with  other  time  tables  of  days,  weeks,  or  months,  in  the 
book  of  God.  We  are  living  in  it,  but  its  actual  duration 
is  unknown  to  men  and  angels  alike.  Matt.  xxiv.  36. 

Israel  of  old  reading  Isaiah  xi.  6-10,  and  similar  texts 
relative  to  the  Messianic  kingdom,  looked  for  literal  peace 
among  carnal  men;  precisely  as  men  now-a-days  look  for 
peace  in  their  fancied  millennium.  But  the  Savior  disa- 
bused their  minds  of  such  errors  when  saying:  "Think  not 
that  I  am  come  to  send  peace  on  earth:  I  came  not  to 
send  peace  but  sword,"  etc.  Matt.  x.  34-39.  One  kind 
of  peace  He  did  promise:  "In  Me  ye  shall  have  peace. 
In  the  world  ye  shall  have  tribulation :  but  be  of  good 
cheer,  I  have  overcome  the  world. "  John  xvi.  33.  As  also 
expressed  by  the  poet : 

"  I  have  a  peace  that  is  calm  as  a  river, 
A  peace  that  the  friends  of  this  world  never  knew." 

Men  sing  about  that  peace;  yet,  not  having  it,  fail  to 
comprehend  its  meaning;  hence,  like  Israel  of  old,  look 
for  something  they  never  will  see. 

A  brother  in  Christ,  on  hearing  the  above,  raised  the 
objection,  that  parties  redeemed  in  Christ  might  fall  away, 
and  could  therefore  not  ultimately  be  called  holy,  whereas 
the  first  resurrection  includes  none  but  holy  persons;  hence, 
the  two  could  not  be  synonymous. 

This  objection  may  at  first  sight  seem  weighty,  but  van- 
ishes like  smoke  when  our  text  is  scrutinized  to  bed  rock. 

"I  saw  the  souls  of  them  that  were  beheaded  for  the 
witness  of  JESUS,  and  for  the  word  of  God,  and  which  had 
not  worshiped  the  beast,  neither  his  image,  neither  had  re- 
ceived his  mark  upon  their  foreheads,  nor  in  their  hands, 
and  they  lived  and  reigned  with  Christ  a  thousand  years." 
Mark  the  expression  "they  lived,"  it  does  not  say  they 


BOOK    OF    REVELATION  IQ'J 

lived  again.  That  makes  it  all  plain  and  harmonious.  The 
first  resurrection  means  more  than  redemption  in  Christ. 
It  means  in  addition  thereto  a  rising  above  all  trials,  temp- 
tations, and  carnal  allurements,  steadfast  until  the  end  ;  as 
also  expressed  in  Rev.  ii.  26,  and  contained  in  our  Lord's 
commission  when  He  said:  "Go  ye  and  make  disciples  of 
all  nations,  and  teaching  them  to  obey  all  things  that  I 
have  commanded  you,"  etc.,  Matt,  xxviii.  19. 

Our  text  then,  "Blessed  and  holy  is  he  having  part  in 
the  first  resurrection"  simply  says,  Blessed  and  holy  is  he 
that  has  been  baptized  into  Christ — (none  out  of  Christ 
are  here  seen) — and  has  walked  in  His  commandments 
steadfast  unto  the  end.  Surely  to  it  there  is  no  objection. 
One  thought  must,  in  closing  this  chapter,  not  be  omitted : 
Israel,  as  a  nation  had,  in  type,  two  resurrections.  Twice 
did  they  emerge  out  of  the  element  of  death  :  first,  from 
the  Red  Sea,  at  their  journeys  beginning,  and  from  Jordan 
at  its  ending.  That  this  typifies  events  in  Christian  life  is 
clear  from  i  Cor,  x.  i-n.  If  then  there  are  two  resurrec- 
tions in  type  there  must  be  two  in  antitype  ;  one  at  the 
beginning  of  our  life  in  Christ,  and  one  prior  to  our  enter- 
ing our  promised  possession,  another  proof  that  the  first 
resurrection  is  neither  literal  nor  future. 

Millenarians,  so  sanguine  about  their  expected  future 
reign  of  Christ  on  earth,  when,  as  they  suppose,  the  whole 
globe  shall  be  evangelized  in  a  manner  so  wonderful,  that 
nearly,  if  not  wholly,  every  mortal  will  turn  to  Christ  and 
be  saved,  would  do  well  to  examine  the  following  scrip- 
ture:  "  The  just  shall  live  by  faith."  Rom.  i.  17. 

To  be  saved  by  Christ,  when  seeing  Him  visibly  in  our 
midst,  would  be  salvation  by  sight,  not  by  faith;  hence,  the 
idea  of  gospel  proclamation  and  re-begettal,  with  the  King 
of  kings  visibly  present  among  mortal  men,  is  entirely  out 


io8  STUDIES    ON    THE 

of  joint  with  scripture  language,  and  is  one  of  the  evils 
springing  from  a  literal  interpretation  of  Rev.  xx.  4. 

The  parable  of  the  tares  in  the  wheat  declares  positively 
that  all  wicked  persons  shall  be  consumed  at  the  end  of  this 
age,  Matt.  xiii.  40-43;  as  also  does  the  parable  of  the  fish- 
net, Matt.  xiii.  47-50. 

Paul  declares  emphatically  that  our  Lord  shall  return  to 
earth,  not  to  continue  His  offer  of  salvation  to  depraved 
humanity;  but  to  take  vengeance  on  all  who  know  not 
God,  and  all  who  do  not  obey  the  gospel  of.  Christ. 
2  Thess.  i.  7,  8. 

"  Tribulation  and  anguish,  upon  every  soul  of  man  that 

<loeth  evil,  to  the  Jew  first,  and  also  to  the  Greek 

in  the  day  when  God  shall  judge  the  secrets  of  men  by 
JESUS  Christ  according  to  my  gospel."  Rom.  ii.  9-16. 

Christadelphians  and  other  millenarians  deem  it  incom- 
patible with  the  love  of  Christ;  that.  He  should  return  to 
earth  and  exterminate  millions  upon  millions  of  resurrected 
sinners,  who  have  lived  and  died  without  ever  hearing  the 
gospel,  and  therefore  could  not  repent  unto  salvation. 
Such  would  do  well  to  look  at  the  type,  /.  e.,  Israel  enter- 
ing their  promised  possession. 

Four  hundred  years  had  God  waited  for  the  inhabitants 
of  the  land  to  ripen  in  iniquity,  Gen.  xv.  16,  without  ever, 
in  all  that  time,  sending  them  one  prophetic  voice  of  ex- 
hortation or  warning;  and  when,  at  Moses'  death,  the  peo- 
ple under  the  leadership  of  Joshua,  took  forcible  possession 
of  the  land,  they  were  commanded  of  God  to  completely 
destroy  its  inhabitants,  no  mercy  should  they  show  to 
either  age  or  sex.  Deut.  vii.  i-  5,  see  also  Deut.  xxxi.  3-5  ; 
and  Num.  xxi.  23-35.  Seven  nations  were  thus  to  be  com- 
pletely exterminated,  and  whereas  seven  signifies  complete- 
ness in  Israel's  covenant,  it  typified  complete  ex  term  in  a- 


BOOK    OF    REVELATION  109 

tion  of  sin  and  sinners  at  our  Lord's  return  to  earth,  as  also- 
stated  by  Paul  :  "  He  will  finish  the  work,  and  cut  it  short 
in  righteousness :  for  a  short  work  will  the  Lord  make  upon 
the  earth."  Rom.  ix,  28. 

How  foolish  then  to  talk  about  a  thousand  years  of  pro- 
bation after  the  Lord's  return  to  judge  the  living  and  the 
dead. 

"He  must  reign,  till  He  hath  put  all  enemies  under  His  feet.     The 
last  enemy  that  shall  be  destroyed  is  death."     i  Cor.  xv.  25,  26. 

"  Sit   Thou   at  My  right  hand,   till    I  make  Thine   enemies   Thy 
footstool."     Psalm  ex.  i. 

These  two  texts  collectively  are  positive  proof  that  Christ 
reigns  in  heaven,  and  will  remain  in  heaven  till  all  His 
enemies,  even  death,  are  conquered;  what  then  becomes 
of  the  fancies  of  a  thousand  years'  probation  among  mortal 
men  after  He  returns  to  earth  ? 

This  is  not  what  I  say,  or  You  say,  or  They  say,  but 
"  Thus  saith  the  LORD!" 


I  TO  STUDIES    ON    THE 


CHAPTER    IX. 

THE     KINGDOM     OF     HEAVEN. 

"  THE  seventh  angel  sounded  ;  and  there  were  great  voices  in 
heaven,  saying  :  The  kingdom  of  this  world  has  become  the  Lord's, 
and  His  Christ's,  and  He  will  reign  forever." — Rev.  xi.  15. 

MUCH  controversy  prevails  in  the  churches  about  the 
"  Kingdom  of  God;"  "Immortal-soul-ism,"  with  its  song: 
41  When  I  can  read  my  title  clear  to  mansions  in  the  skies" 
— locate  the  kingdom  of  heaven  somewhere  in  heaven  :  "  I 
go  to  prepare  a  place  for  you. "  John  xiv.  2.  Surely,  says 
Orthodoxy,  He  went  and  fitted  up  a  room  somewhere  to 
receive  immortal  souls  at  death.  There,  they  claim,  were 
seen  Abraham  and  Lazarus  in  his  bosom.  But  their  theory 
is  sadly  conflicting  ;  for  if  Abraham  and  other  holy 
men,  who  lived  centuries  prior  to  Christ,  went  there  at 
death:  then  they  must  have  occupied  the  place  before  it 
was  prepared.  What  nonsense  to  say:  "  the  kingdom  of 
heaven  is  at  hand,  "if  that  kingdom  meant  some  celestial 
location  filled  with  saved  souls  prior  to  our  Lord's  time. 
Nor  could  Christ  have  been  "the  firstfruit  of  them  that 
slept,"  i  Cor.  xv.  20,  that  is,  the  first  to  get  eternal  life,  if 
others  had  it  before  Him.  What  then  is  the  kingdom  ? 
where  and  when  established? 

A  longing  for  the  Messianic  Kingdom,  predicted  to 
Israel  by  the  prophets  and  poets  alike,  filled  the  heart  of 
every  true  Israelite;  hence,  their  joy  when  John  the  Bap- 
tist appeared  in  their  midst  proclaiming  "  The  kingdom  of 
heaven  is  at  hand."  Matt.  iii.  2. 


BOOK    OF    REVELATION  III 

With  these  thoughts  we  turn  to  Advent  literature,  with 
its  ever  jubilant  watchword :  "  Christ  will  return  to  earth 
and  set  up  His  kingdom. "  That  Christ  will  return  to  earth 
and  rule  among  men,  is  a  message  jubilant  and  true;  but 
that  He  will  set  up  His  Kingdom  when  He  does  return  can 
in  no  sense  be  harmonized  with  John's  statement  :  that  it 
was  at  hand  in  his  day,  nor  with  the  words  of  Christ,  Who, 
even  more  explicit,  said :  "  The  time  is  fulfilled,  the  king- 
dom of  God  is  at  hand."  Mark  i.  15.  The  fact  is,  Ad- 
ventists  are  as  careless  in  their  studies  about  the  Kingdom, 
as  Ortodoxy,  when  reading  Paul's  statement  :  "  the  wages 
of  sin  is  death."  Rom.  vi.  23.  For  light  we  turn  to  Daniel. 

Nebuchadnezzar  saw  an  image  of  a  human  form,  com- 
posed of  gold,  silver,  brass,  iron  and,  clay.  See  Dan.  chap- 
ter ii.  This  represented  four  successive  world  monarchies, 
including  Rome  in  its  divided  and  declining  state. 

"In  the  days  of  these  kings  shall  the  God  of  heaven  set 
up  a  kingdom,"  etc.  Dan.  ii.  44.  Now  one  thing  out  of 
two,  either  has  that  kingdom  been  set  up  or  prophecy  has 
failed;  for  the  days  of  those  kings  ended  more  than  thirteen 
centuries  ago.  Some  Adventists  seeing  this  predicament, 
claim  that  the  present  European  nations  will  in  some  way 
be  so  formed  as  to  constitute  the  ten  toes  when  our  Lord 
returns  to  earth.  Nothing  can  be  farther  from  the  truth,  as 
we  shall  see. 

The  two  legs  of  iron,  Dan.  ii.  33,  represented  eastern 
and  western  Rome,  with  Constantinople  and  Rome  for  their 
respective  capitals.  If  then  the  nations  of  Europe  should 
be  made  to  represent  the  ten  toes,  we  would  have  a  man 
with  his  left  leg  amputated,  and  ten  toes  on  his  right  foot. 
Indeed,  a  sorry  looking  soldier. 

Another  point,  generally  overlooked  by  Adventists,  is 
Dan.  ii.  35,  "Then  was  the  iron,  the  clay,  the  brass,  the  sil- 


112  STUDIES     ON    THE 

ver,  and  the  gold,  broken  in  pieces  together,"  plainly  stat- 
ing that  the  stone,  though  smiting  the  image  on  its  feetT 
should,  when  so  doing,  demolish  all  the  metals  together; 
hence,  the  smiting  must  have  taken  place  while  all  those 
kingdoms,  even  including  Babylon,  where  in  existence. 

The  revelation  made  to  Nebuchadnezzar  about  those 
successive  world  powers,  who  many  centuries  ago  have 
passed  into  history,  was  afterward  repeated  to  Daniel;  but 
in  a  different  form.  We  may  well  understand  that  the 
cruel  tyranny  and  barbarous  regime,  exercised  by  those 
heathen  monarchs,  though  in  their  eyes  perfectly  natural 
and  just,  looked  to  God-fearing  men  like  Daniel,  absolute 
horrid  and  beastly ;  .hence,  the  different  nature  of  the  two 
visions  :  what  the  king  saw  in  form  of  a  man,  Daniel  saw 
in  the  shape  of  beasts.  See  Dan.  chapter  vii. 

We  have  seen  in  Dan.  ii.  35,  that  the  stone  i.  e.  the  king- 
dom of  Christ,  was  to  demolish  all  those  kingdoms  when 
smiting  the  toes:  a  thought  also  born  out  in  Dan.  vii.  12: 
"  As  concerning  the  rest  of  the  beasts,  they  had  their  do- 
minion taken  away  :  but  their  lives  were  prolonged  for  a 
time  and  a  season,"  showing  that  a  kingdom  was  not  de- 
molished because  deprived  of  its  supreme  world  power :  but 
existed  as  a  vassal  state,  inferior  and  tributary  to  its  then 
more  powerful  successor,  as  also  fully  verified  in  history. 
That  Babylon  did  exist,  though  probably  in  a  decayed  con- 
dition as  late  as  the  Christian  era  is  evident  from  i  Pet.  v. 
13  :  "  The  church  at  Babylon  salute  you. 

But,  says  Adventism,  the  ten  toes  had  not  been  de- 
veloped when  our  Savior  was  on  earth,  hence,  could  not  at 
that  time  have  been  smitten  :  and  this  we  freely  admit,  the 
the  image  was  not  at  that  time  overthrown :  but  the  stone 
that  was  to  overthrow  it  and  scatter  its  constituent  elements, 
was  at  that  time  cut  out,  or  in  other  words,  the  kingdom 


BOOK    OF     REVELATION  113 

of  Christ  was  at  that  time  set  up :  but,  like  the  heathen 
kingdoms  preceding  it,  it  had  to  grow  and  develope  a 
certain  amount  of  strength  before  it  was  able  to  overthrow 
and  supersede  its  predecessor. 

On  the  mount  of  transfiguration  were  Moses,  Elijah, 
and  three  apostles,  a  representation  of  the  law,  the 
prophets  and  the  gospel.  To  them  it  was  said :  "  This  is 
My  beloved  Son,  hear  Him,"  the  Father  thus  peremptorily 
commanding  the  people  of  all  dispensations  to  be  subject 
and  obedient  to  the  Son,  a  thought  also  born  out  at  His 
baptism  :  "  This  is  My  beloved  Son,  in  Whom  I  am  well 
pleased. " 

Thus  the  kingdom  of  our  Lord  was  established  at  His 
baptism.  They  were  on  the  mount  of  Transfiguration  com- 
manded to  obey  His  edicts;  and  on  the  day  of  Pentecost 
they  saw  it  manifest  with  power  as  the  Lord  has  promised 
they  should.  Mark  ix.  i.  The  early  Christians  healed  the 
sick,  raised  the  dead,  and  did  many  other  wonderful  works, 
what  can  be  a  manifestation  of  the  kingdom  in  power  if 
those  miracles  are  not  ?  but  if  they  were,  then  surely  the 
kingdom  of  God  was  among  them.  "  If  I  cast  out  devils 
by  the  Spirit  of  God,  then  the  kingdom  of  God  is  come 
unto  you."  Matt.  xii.  28. 

But  the  kingdom,  though  manifested  in  power,  even 
raising  the  dead,  was  still  in  its  infancy,  the  mustard  seed 
had  been  planted  and  sprouted,  Matt.  xiii.  31,  a  small  stem 
appeared  above  ground,  and  soon  made  its  power  of  develop- 
ment known.  Far  and  wide,  in  eastern  Asia  and  southern 
Europe,  did  its  embassadors  travel,  bearing  "the  glad  ti- 
dings of  peace  on  earth  and  good  will  toward  men."  With 
weapons,  not  carnal  but  spiritual  did  the  Messianic  warriors 
fight  their  battles,  subduing  carnal  imaginations  and  lusts 
of  the  flesh  with  all  its  death  bearing  delusions.  "For  the 
8 


114  STUDIES     ON    THE 

weapons  of  our  warfare  are  not  carnal,  but  mighty  through 
God  to  the  pulling  down  of  strong  holds  ;  casting  down 
imaginations,  and  every  high  thing  that  exalteth  itself 
against  the  knowledge  of  God,  and  bringing  into  captivity 
every  thought  to  the  obedience  of  Christ."  2  Cor.  x.  4,  5. 
"For  we  wrestle  not  against  flesh  and  blood,  but  against 
the  rulers  of  the  darkness  of  this  world,"  (Yes,  heathen 
rulers  constituting  the  last  part  of  the  matallic  image), 
"against  the  spiritual  wickedness  in  high  places."  Eph.vi.  12. 

Like  leaven  in  the  meal  did  the  gospel  penetrate  the 
heathen  darkness  of  all  so  called  civilization,  till,  early  in 
the  sixth  century,  Christianity  was  fairly  and  firmly  estab- 
lished in  Rome;  Christ  was  there  and  then  recognized  and 
adored  as  world  wide  legal  Sovereign,  and  who  dare  say 
that  He  is  not  so  recognized  in  all  civilization  to-day  ? 
Why  does  every  Christian  king  confess  himself  king  by  the 
grace  of  God?  as  F.  Ex..  the  commission  of  Columbus, 
when  on  his  voyage  of  discovery,  headed  by  "  Ferdinan 
and  Isabella,  by  the  grace  of  God,  king  and  queen  of  Cas- 
tile. "  Why  did  king  Edward  VII,  of  Great  Britain  remove 
his  crown  at  the  communion  ceremony  on  the  day  of  coro- 
nation? It  was  a  most  significant  sign  of  submission,  vir- 
tually saying  to  his  subjects:  You  are  this  day  crowning 
me,  but  I,  as  well  as  you,  recognize  a  far  higher  monarch, 
"the  Kings  of  kings,  and  Lord  of  lords."  Whatever  the 
condition  of  Edward's  inner  self,  that  acknowledgment  was 
in  his  outward  action,  a  confession  not  to  be  had  from 
Pharaoh,  Ex.  v.  2,  nor  from  Nebuchadnezzar,  till  forced  by 
the  heavy  hand  of  God.  See  Daniel,  chapter  iv. 

No  earthly  world  wide  monarch  is  recognized  to-day : 
the  image  is  gone  ;  "  the  Stone  "  has  become  a  great 
mountain,  and  will  soon  fill  the  whole  earth.  Dan.  ii.  35. 
It  rests  on  the  United  States  of  America  to-day,  as  plainly 


BOOK    OF    REVELATION  115 

seen  by  the  motto:  "In  GOD  we  trust,"  stamped  on  our 
coins  of  all  denominations  from  Dollar  to  Eagle.  It  is  also 
an  indisputable  fact,  that  our  land,  though  void  of  State 
religion,  has  its  constitutions  and  laws  framed  on  principles 
promulgated  by  the  apostles  of  Christ,  hence  recognizes 
Him  as  King,  and  obeys  His  laws. 

There  may  not  be  many  true  followers  of  the  Lamb  in 
our  land,  nor  in  any  other  Christian  country;  but  whether 
many  or  few,  the  kingdom,  symbolized  in  our  Lord's  par- 
able by  "the  field,  is  the  world,"  Matt.  xiii.  38,  in  it  the 
wheat  and  tares  are  growing  together,  as  the  Lord  said  they 
would  until  the  end  of  this  age,  (see  Greek)  when  all 
offensive  matter  will  be  gathered  out  and  destroyed.  Matt, 
xiii.  40-42. 

But  let  us  for  a  moment  indorse  the  opinions  of  some  : 
that  the  ten  toes  shall  re-appear,  to  be  smitten  at  our 
Lord's  coming,  and  see  where  we  land.  That  the  ten  toes 
have  existed  and  disappeared,  is  universally  admitted; 
hence  the  image  does  no  longer  exist  ;  and  would,  if  its 
destruction  is  still  future,  have  to  be  resurrected,  but 
neither  Daniel's  nor  the  king's  vision  contain  any  such  pre- 
diction. Had  the  ten  toes  or  the  ten  horns  been  seen  to 
disappear  and  again  appear,  there  would  have  been  good 
ground  to  expect  a  re-appearance  of  their  antitype;  but 
such  was  not  the  case.  Nebuchadnezzar  saw  the  image 
standing  in  full  stature,  that  is :  saw  world  powers  unre- 
mittingly rule,  until  smitten  by  "the  Stone." 

Here  naturally  ended  the  king's  vision;  he,  a  world 
wide  heathen  ruler,  was  not  interested  in  anything  more, 
hence  nothing  further  was  shown  him.  But  Daniel,  a  man 
of  God;  interested  in  God's  people  and  their  welfare,  was 
by  divine  grace  shown  more  light  :  another  curtain  rolled 
up,  and  the  prophet  saw:  What? 


Il6  STUDIES    ON    THE 

The  ten  horns,  i.  e.  ten  last  divisions  of  the  Roman  em- 
pire disappeared :  and  after  them  came  another  little  horn, 
that  made  war  with  the  saints,  and  prevailed  over  them, 
''during  a  time  and  times  and  the  dividing  of  time."  Dan. 
vii.  19-26.  Then  summing  up  the  vision  in  common  with 
advent  doctrine,  we  find  "  Christ  returns  from  heaven  to 
reign  personally  on  earth  a  thousand  years.  At  the  begin- 
ning of  the  millennium,  when  He  sets  up  His  kingdom,  the 
ten  toes,  or,  which  is  the  same  thing,  ten  horns,  are  de- 
stroyed; after  them  comes  another  who  makes  war  with 
the  saints  and  prevails  against  them,"  Dan.  vii.  21.  Will 
any  Adventist  suppose  such  things  to  take  place  in  their 
anticipated  millennium.  Most  assuredly  not.  .  Yet  such  is 
the  prophecy  if  Christ  smites  the  image  at  His  second  com- 
ing, for  it  was  after  the  ten  horns  had  vanished  that  the 
little  horn  received  its  power  to  oppose  God  and  persecute 
His  people.  Read  carefully  Dan.  vii.  23-26. 

Here,  we  meet  another  stumbling  block  :  the  little  horn 
was  to  prevail  against  the  saints  "during  a  time  and  times 
and  the  dividing  of  time.  "  That  the  word  "time"  in  Daniel's 
book  signifies  a  year,  is  evident  from  Dan.  iv.  23  and  32  ; 
hence,  the  little  horn  was  to  have  things  its  own  way  during 
three  years  and  a  fraction  of  a  year.  We  are  not  informed 
how  large  a  fraction.  Taking  three  and  one-half  years, 
counting  a  day  for  a  year,  the  common  way  of  interpreting 
prophetic  time,  we  have  365  -j-  3^2  =  1277^  years,  but  as 
Daniel  does  not  say  half  a  time  we  will  accept  a  smaller 
fraction  and  make  the  whole  period  1260  years,  which  ac- 
cords with  other  prophetic  dates,  and  we  shall  have  1260 
years  of  false  preaching  and  warring  against  the  people  of 
God  in  the  millennium.  Alas  for  adventistic  interpretation 
of  scripture;  we  might  as  well  attempt  to  crowd  five  pecks 
into  a  bushel  measure,  as  expect  1260  years  of  opposition 
to  God  in  one  thousand  years. 


BOOK    OF    REVELATION  117 

Let  history  here  clear  the  matter  :  the  image  vanished, 
as  said  above,  in  the  beginning  of  the  sixth  century.  It  was 
also  about  that  time  that  the  little  horn,  papacy,  did  grow 
great,  set  itseif  up  against  God,  and  persecuted  the  saints 
with  more  or  less  vehemence  until  A.  E).  1860-1870  when, 
through  the  work  of  Garibaldi,  the  Pope  lost  the  last  vestige 
of  his  temporal  power.  Blind  indeed  is  he  who  with  such 
proofs  at  hand  will  look  for  a  future  smiting  of  the  image. 

"  The  law  and  the  prophets  were  until  John  :  since  that  time  the 
kingdom  of  God  is  preached,  and  every  man  presseth  into  it."  Luke 
xvi.  16. 

"  Hath  delivered  us  trom  the  power  of  darkness,  and  translated  us 
into  the  kingdom  of  His  dear  Son."  Col.  i.  13. 

"  I,  John,  who  also  am  your  brother,  and  companion  in  tribulation, 
and  in  the  kingdom. "  Rev.  i.  9. 

What  idle  nonsense  if  the  kingdom  did  not  then  exist. 

Men  may  in  our  day  and  land,  blaspheme  the  name  of 
God  or  Christ,  and  scoff  at  church  or  Christianity,  but  let 
them  try  open  acts  of  any  kind  against  their  fellow  man,  in 
flagrant  violation  of  Christian  laws,  and  they  will  soon  find 
themselves  securely  incarcerated,  where  they  have  plenty 
of  time  to  meditate  on  the  power  of  our  Lord's  kingdom. 

Ah!  says  Adventism :  Christ  is  now  reigning  on  His 
Father's  throne,  but  He  will  reign  on  David's  throne  when 
returning  to  earth.  This,  like  many  other  sectarian  errors, 
is  the  act  of  a  drowning  man  clinging  to  a  floating  straw. 
Yahweh  only,  was  king  in  Israel  until  the  people  requested 
Samuel  to  make  them  a  king  after  the  manner  of  other 
nations.  "And  the  LORD  said  to  Samuel  :  Hearken  unto 
the  voice  of  the  people  in  all  that  that  they  say  unto  thee : 
for  they  have  not  rejected  thee,  but  they  have  rejected  Me, 
that  I  should  not  reign  over  them."  i  Sam.  viii.  7.  Saul 
was  then  anointed  king,  but  dethroned  and  slain  because 


Tl8  STUDIES    ON     THE 

rebellious  against  God;  and  David,  a  man  after  God's  own 
heart,  made  king  in  his  stead;  shortly  before  David  died 
Solomon,  his  son,  was  anointed  and  "  sat  on  the  throne  of 
the  LORD,  instead  of  David  his  father."  i  Chron.  xxix.  23. 

"  Wherefore  David  blessed  the  LORD  before  all  the  congregation  : 
and  David  said,  Blessed  be  Thou,  LORD  God  of  Israel  our  Father,  for 
ever  and  ever.  Thine,  O  LORD,  is  the  greatness,  and  the  power,  and 
the  glory,  and  the  victory,  and  the  majesty  :  for  all  that  is  in  the 
heaven  and  in  the  earth  is  Thine ;  Thine  is  the  kingdom,  O  LORD,  and 
Thou  art  exalted  as  head  above  all.  Both  riches  and  honor  come  of 
Thee,  and  Thou  reignest  over  all,"  etc.  I  Chron.  xxix.  10-12. 

These  are  plain  statements  showing  that  the  expressions, 
"throne  of  God,"  and  "throne  of  David,"  in  these  connec- 
tions, mean  the  same  thing :  namely,  dominion  over  God's 
people ;  hence,  our  Savior's  words,  addressing  the  Father : 
"All  Mine  are  Thine,  and  Thine  are  Mine;  and  I  am  glori- 
fied in  them."  John  xvii.  10.  See  also  Eph.  i.  21,  and 
i  Pet.  iii.  22. 

How  can  we  pray  "Thy  kingdom  come,"  if  it  has  al- 
ready come?  We  might  answer  by  asking,  how  could  His 
miracles  be  a  proof  of  the  "kingdom  of  God"  in  their  midst 
if  that  kingdom  is  still  future  ?  See  Luke  xi.  20.  Thus 
shallow-minded  men  do  reason,  seeing  only  one  side  of  a 
question,  they  fail  to  agree. 

Let  us  remember  there  are  two  aspects  of  the  kingdom, 
a  fact  fully  illustrated  in  the  parable  of  the  tares  in  the 
wheat.  First  :  the  kingdom  in  a  state  of  probation,  repre- 
sented by  the  seeding  and  growing.  That  feature  of  the 
kingdom  is  now;  while  tares,  i.  e.,  false  doctrines  leading 
to  ungodliness  and  perdition,  are  growing  among  the  wheat. 
But  the  kingdom  in  its  final  state,  after  tares  and  chaff  are 
burned  up  and  the  wheat  gathered  in  the  garner,  is  still 
future,  and  is  what  we  mean  when  praying:  "Thy  kingdom 
come,"  and  is  what  our  Savior  refers  to  in  Matt.  xxv.  34: 


BOOK    OF     REVELATION  119 

"Come,  ye  blessed  of  My  Father,  and  inherit  the  kingdom 
prepared  for  you  from  the  foundation  of  the  world. " 

Now  hear  the  word  of  Isaiah:  "It  shall  come  to  pass  in 
the  last  days,  that  the  mountain  of  the  LORD'S  house  shall 
be  established  on  the  top  of  the  mountains,  and  it  shall  be 
exalted  above  the  hills,  and  all  nations  shall  flow  unto  it, 
etc."  Is.  ii.  2.  That  prophecy  is  now  being  fulfilled,  all 
nations,  with  just  a  few  exceptions  who  soon  also  will  fol- 
low, are,  as  said  above,  recognizing  Christ  as  supreme  uni- 
versal Ruler:  "  many  people  are  inviting  each  other  to 
come  up  to  the  house  of  the  God  of  Jacob,"  i.  e.  the  church 
of  Christ,  "to  learn  His  ways,  and  walk  in  His  paths,"  and 
we  have  reason  to  believe  the  time  near  when  the  Lord  will 
judge  the  nations,  and  the  wheat,  gathered  into  His  garner, 
shall  be  wholly  given  to  the  peaceable  pursuits,  and  learn 
war  no  more. 

One  more  thought,  and  this,  already  lengthy,  chapter 
must  close.  Israel  in  the  wilderness  were  a  nation,  and 
Moses  their  king.  Deut.  xxxiii.  5.  But  their  promised 
possession,  the  object  of  their  hope  and  aim  of  their  jour- 
ney, lay  beyond  the  river  Jordan.  Every  bible  student 
knows  that  their  forty  years'  journey  in  Arabia,  typified  the 
life  and  trials  of  God's  people  in  this  age  and  dispensation, 
as  also  seen  from  i  Cor.  x.  1-12.  But  if  Israel  were  thus 
a  tppical  kingdom  governed  by  divine  laws,  we  must  like- 
wise now  in  antitype  be  a  kingdom,  or  prophetic  type  is  at 
fault  ;  and  here  comes  in  that  great  man,  with  the  shep- 
herd's staff,  as  a  witness :  "  Ye  are  a  chosen  generation,  a 
royal  priesthood,  an  holy  nation,  a  peculiar  people,"  etc. 
i  Pet.  ii.  9.  "  He  washed  us  from  our  sins  in  His  own 
blood,  and  made  us  a  kingdom  of  priests  unto  God,  even 
His  Father."  Rev.  i.  6.  (Translated  from  the  Greek.) 

The  fact  that  God's  people  are  now  kings  and  priests 


I2O  STUDIES    ON    THE 

is  in  full  accord  with  the  prophecy  about  our  Lord  :  "  He 
shall  be  a  Priest  on  His  throne."  Zech.  vi.  13.  Not,  as 
claimed  by  Christadelphians;  first,  a  Priest,  and  then  a 
King.  Melchizedek,  the  prototype  of  our  Lord,  was  like- 
wise king  and  priest  at  the  same  time.  Gen.  xiv.  18. 

Let  us  then,  dear  Reader,  "Heed  His  voice  while  it  is 
called  today:"  let  us,  while  in  this  kingdom  and  age  of 
probation,  cleanse  ourselves  from  all  filthiness  of  flesh  and 
spirit  ;  so  that  we,  when  stepping  into  the  antitypical  Jor- 
dan, i.  e.  the  grave,  beyond  which  lies  our  promised  in- 
heritance, we  may  be  found  in  that  troop  typified  by  Israel, 
\vhen  the  ark  in  mid-stream  stayed  its  raging  torrents,  en- 
abling God's  people  to  pass  over  dry  shod.  Josh.  iii.  15-17 
Be  assured,  dear  Reader,  that  the  ark  of  the  New  Cove- 
nant, i.  e.  redemption  through  the  blood  of  Christ,  stands 
firmly  planted  in  the  valley  of  the  shadow  of  death,  and  no 
harm  can  befall  him  who  faithfully  follows  the  slain  Lamb. 

Praised  forever  and  ever  be  the  NAME  of  God  and   our 
Lord   Christ  JESUS. 


BOOK     OF    REVELATION  121 


CHAPTER   X. 


"  THE     HOLY     CITY,     NEW     JERUSALEM.  " 
REV.     XXI.     2. 

ORTHODOXY,  eager  to'sustain  its  doctrine  of  natural  immor- 
tality, finds  itself  again  and  again,  compelled  to  spiritualize, 
in  holy  writ,  statements  indisputably  literal :  e.  g.  The  con- 
suming fire,  eventually  destroying  the  adversary,  by  them 
made  out  to  signify  the  never  ceasing  torment  of  a  never 
dying  conscience. 

Adventists,  aware  of  this  dangerous  method  of  handling 
God's  word,  frequently  go  too  far  in  the  opposite  direction, 
literalizing  things  indisputably  spiritual. 

It  seems  strange  that  men,  otherwise  good  logicians, 
should  be  so  shortsighted  as  to  literalize  the  Revelator's 
vision  of  the  holy  city;  such  is  however  the  case.  Follow- 
ing this  Adventist  rule  of  literalities  we  encounter,  in  this 
city,  an  endless  chain  of  insurmountable  difficulties. 

The  city  is  called  "the  Lamb's  bride,"  the  Lamb's  wife. 
Rev.  xxi.  9.  Are  we  then  to  suppose  "the  Lamb's  bride" 
to  be  made  of  mineral  ? 

The  church  is  the  Savior's  "bride."  John  iii.  29;  2  Cor.  xi. 
2,  and  Eph.  v.  23-32.  That  being  so  we  shall,  if  literalizing 
the  city,  be  compelled  to  charge  our  Savior  with  polygamy, 
having  one  wife  of  living  stones  and  another  of  dead  ones. 

The  city  is  equal  in  length,  breadth,  and  height,  twelve 
thousand  furlongs  each  way.  Who  could  conceive  of  a  city 
twelve  thousand  furlongs,  about  fifteen  hundred  English 


122  STUDIES    ON    THE 

miles,   high  ?     Imagine   a  man    sleeping  in  the  garret,  and 
boarding  in  the  basement  of  such  a  building. 

But,  says  this  old  school  Adventism,  equal  must  not  be 
so  understood.  It  simply  means  that  its  height  is  in  full 
proportion  to  its  territorial  extent. 

Such  a  course  is  sheer  quibbling.  Equal  means  alike, 
and  never*  can,  by  any  grammatical  rule,  be  made  to  mean 
proportionate.  But  even  if  granting  this  Adventist  claim 
and  read :  its  height  corrresponds  to  its  length  and  breadth, 
our  difficulty  remains  unabated. 

A  city  1,500  miles  square  would  be  larger  in  territorial 
extent  than  half  of  the  United  States.  How  could  such  a 
city  be  located  in  Palestine,  when  Palestines  by  the  score 
could  be  located  within  its  walls?  To  look  on  such  a  city 
as  literal  is  unreasonable  if  not  foolish. 

The  symbolism  and  imagery  so  prevalent  among  the 
Chaldeans  as  plainly  appears  from  both  Daniel  and  Ezekiel, 
and  also  used  in  Isaiah,  chapter  vi,  is,  throughout,  the 
language  of  the  Revelation.  The  144,000  of  chapters  vii. 
and  xiv.  signify,  as  formerly  shown,  Israel's  God-fearing 
remnant,  a  very  fit  symbol,  when  remembering  Israel's 
twelve  tribes — 12-1-12=144;  hence,  the  symbol  gives  the 
square,  or  perfect  thousands  of  Israel's  twelves  tribes.  But 
the  holy  city  implies  more  than  that;  inasmuch  as  it  shows 
the  church  of  Christ  in  its  perfect  state,  composed  of  both 
Jews  and  Gentiles.  Therefore,  the  symbol  here  used  is  not 
merely  a  square  but  a  cubic  12,000  furlongs  each  way.  The 
names  of  tbe  twelve  tribes  are  on  its  gates.  Plain  enough, 
— for  "salvation  is  of  the  Jews,"  John  iv.  22:  hence,  any 
person  baptized  into  Christ,  becomes  Abraham's  seed  or  a 
member  of  the  twelve  tribes,  though  not,  fleshly,  so  related. 
The  names  of  the  twelve  apostles  are  in  the  foundations  : 
in  full  accord  with  Paul,  that  the  church  of  Christ  "is  built 


BOOK   OF     REVELATION  123 

upon  the  foundation  of  the  apostles  and  prophets,  JESUS 
Christ,  Himself,  being  the  chief  corner  stone."  Eph.  ii.  20- 
The  wall  is  great  and  high,  and  the  city  has  no  need  of  the 
sun  or  moon,  for  the  glory  of  God  and  Lamb  is  the  light 
thereof,  as  also  said  of  the  prophet:  "I,  saith  the  Lord,  will 
be  unto  her  a  wall  of  fire  round  about,  and  will  be  the 
glory  in  the  midst  of  her."  Zech.  ii.  5.  "  To  her  (the 
bride)  it  was  granted  that  she  should  be  arrayed  in  fine 
linen,  clean  and  white :  for  the  fine  linen  is  the  right- 
eousness of  the  saints."  Rev.  xix.  8. 

Here  is  an  explanation  that  can  neither  be  doubted  nor 
misunderstood :  the  city,  the  Lamb's  bride,  is  constituted 
of  saints,  made  righteous  by  the  Lamb's  blood,  as  shown 
in  the  symbol  of  white  linen. 

Turning  to  the  prophet  we  read :  "  For  Zion's  sake  will 
I  not  hold  My  peace,  and  for  Jerusalem's  sake  will  I  not 
rest,  until  the  righteousness  thereof  go  forth  as  brightness, 
and  the  salvation  thereof  as  a  lamp  that  burneth  :  and  the 
Gentiles  shall  see  thy  righteousness,  and  all  kings  thy  glory : 
Thou  shalt  no  more  be  termed  Forsaken,  nei- 
ther shall  thy  land  any  more  be  termed  Desolate  :  but  thou 
shalt  be  called  Hephzibah — (My  delight  is  in  her) — and  thy 
land  Beulah — (Married) :  for  the  Lord  delighteth  in  thee, 
and  thy  land  shall  be  married. "  Isa.  Ixii.  1-4.  See  also, 
Isa.  xlix.  8-13. 

This  from  prophetic  lips,  states  in  plain  language  what 
Rev.  xxi.  says  in  symbol  :  that  the  Lord  will  delight  in 
His  people,  cleanse  them  from  sin,  watch  over  and  protect 
them,  even  to  blessing  with  everlasting  salvation.  What 
Bible  student  will  doubt  that  this  work  is  now  being  done? 
Paul  is  likewise  emphatic  about  the  holy  city  signifying  the 
church,  as  seen  in  Heb.  xii.  22. 


124  STUDIES    ON    THE 


CHAPTER   XI. 

REDEMPTION. 

"  We  trusted  that  it  had  been  He  which  should  have  redeemed 
Israel."  Luke  xxiv.  21. 

ABOUT  twelve  hours  after  our  Lord  had  risen,  two  men 
were  journeying  from  Jerusalem  to  Emmaus;  perplexity 
and  sadness  filled  their  minds;  three  or  four  years  had 
JESUS  of  Nazareth  manifested  such  a  wonderful  spirit  of 
power  and  divine  grace  in  Israel,  that  every  man,  whose 
heart  was  made  of  anything  softer  than  flint,  looked  on 
Him  as  the  expected  Messiah.  Having  miraculously  fed  a 
great  multitude  near  the  sea  of  Tiberias,  they  intended  to 
make  Him  king  by  force,  John  vi.;i5,  willingly  would  the 
masses  have  followed  a  standard  erected  by  Him,  and  laid 
down  their  lives  for  political  freedom.  But  now,  three 
days  having  passed  since  the  rulers  captured  and  put  Him 
to  death,  their  hopes  were  gone,  gloomy  were  their  minds 
and  sorrowful  their  words. 

Then  appeared  the  Master,  to  them  unknown,  yet,  with 
words  of  eloquence  that  set  their  hearts  burning,  He 
showed  from  the  scriptures  that  Christ  must  thus  suffer  and 
enter  into  His  glory.  Luke  xxiv.  13-27. 

It  is  evident  from  here  that  the  glory  of  Christ,  predicted 
by  the  prophets,  is  not  a  political  grandeur,  derived  from 
battles  with  implements  of  war,  as  expected  by  Israel  of 
old,  and  by  Age-to-come  advocates  of  today,  but  the  glory 
promised  by  God,  as  a  reward  to  a  faithful  Son,  for  perfect 


BOOK    OF     REVELATION  125 

obedience  to  the  Father's  commandments,  even  laying 
down  His  life  a  ransom  for  fallen  humanity;  thus  redeem- 
ing God's  chosen  people,  not  from  political  thraldom,  but 
from  sin  and  condemnation  unto  death.  This  grand  truth 
had,  not  yet  been  understood  by  the  disciples  of  Christ  : 
hence  their  deep  sorrow  when  He  was  dead,  and  perplexity 
when  rumors  of  His  resurrection  reached  their  ears;  they 
failed  to  comprehend  that  their  expected  event,  Israel's 
redemption,  was  an  already  accomplished  fact. 

"  He  came  to  His  own,  and  His  own  received  Him  not;  but  as 
many  as  received  Him,  to  them  gave  He  power  to  become  the  Sons  of 
God,  even  to  them  that  believe  on  His  name."  John  i.  n,  12. 

His  mission  was  to  redeem  men  from  sin  and  make  them 
sons  of  God,  as  also  stated  by  Paul : 

"  Come  out  fro.m  among  them,  and  be  ye  separate,  saith  the  LORD, 
and  touch  not  the  unclean;  and  I  will  receive  you,  and  will  be  a  Father 
unto  you;  and  ye  shall  be  My  Sons  and  Daughters,  sailh  the  LORD 
Almighty."  2  Cor.  vi.  17,  18. 

This  work  of  redemption  being  a  life  and  death  ques- 
tion, is  of  vital  importance  to  every  bible  student,  of  what 
then  does  it  consist  ?  Having  here  and  there  in  these 
pages  given  it  merely  passing  glances,  it  will  doubtless  be 
expedient  to  devote  our  last  chapter  to  this  all  important 
theme. 

We  are  asked  by  infidels  and  sceptics  :  Why  was  Adam 
created  if  he  did  not  suit  God  ?  or,  in  other  words:  Why 
did  not  God  make  man  perfect  in  the  first  place,  if  He 
wanted  none  but  perfect  men  to  rule  over  His  handiwork  ? 

We  will  not  presume  to  unravel  the  hidden  mysteries  of 
God,  it  suffices  us  to  instruct,  if  possible,  open  ears  and 
willing  minds,  in  what  an  all-wise  God  and  a  loving  Re- 
deemer have  entrusted  to  our  keeping.  We  do  not  say, 
that  God  could  not  make  a  perfect  man  in  a  moment 


126  STUDIES     ON    THE 

of  time,  but  we  know  He  did  not  do  it,  and  it  seems  hardly 
reasonable  that  He,  however  powerful,  could  do  so.  It  is 
very  plain  that  when  man  was  created  he  was  almost  on  a 
level  with  the  brutes,  morally  ;  but  out  of,  or  from 
him  was  to  be  developed  the  race  that  was  to  have  "do- 
minion" in  the  earth. 

Adam  and  his  wife  were  naked  and  not  ashamed.  Gen. 
ii.  25.  They  could  not,  in  their  primitive  state,  discern 
"good  from  evil."  Man,  to  be  elevated  above  the  brute 
creation,  and  placed  on  a  level  with  his  future  associates, 
the  heavenly  angels,  had  to  be  educated  ;  hence,  law  re- 
stricting his  passions,  was  necessary. 

"  And  the  LORD  God  commanded  the  man  saying,  Of  every  tree  of 
the  garden  thou  mayest  freely  eat  ;  but  of  the  tree  of  knowledge,  of 
good  and  evil,  thou  shalt  not  eat  of  it  ;  for  in  the  day  that  thou  eatest 
thereof  dying  thou  shalt  die."  Gen.  ii.  16,  17. 

Here  we  find  a  law  containing  precept  and  prohibition  : 
"thou  mayest  eat,"  and  "thou  shalt  not  eat,"  placed  before 
man  to  teach  him  the  initiatory  step  in  formation  of  char- 
acter. No  sooner  were  they  brought  in  contact  with  God's 
law,  than  they  failed;  and  having  violated  their  covenant, 
having  done  that  which  God  forbade,  they  lay  prostrate 
under  the  sentence :  "Dying,  thou  shalt  die."  One  thing, 
however,  was  gained,  one  step  had  been  taken  upon  the 
ladder  of  enlightenment  and  morality;  they  knew  good 
from  evil,  Gen.  iii.  22,  and  thus  began  to  be  formed  in 
mind  like  unto  their  Maker. 

They  knew  what  sin  was,  but  their  inability  to  resist  its 
enticements  was  also  manifest,  hence,  the  necessity  of  ex- 
pelling them  from  paradise,  and  barring  the  way  to  the 
"tree  of  life,"  lest  they  should  eat  thereof,  and  become  im- 
mortal sinners.  Gen.  iii.  22-24.  Here,  as  in  all  God's 
economy,  divine  wisdom  and  love  is  clearly  manifest.  Had 


BOOK    OF     REVELATION  127 

man  been  permitted  to  remain  in  the  garden  where  the 
"tree  of  life"  was  accessible,  immortality  in  sin,  and  conse- 
quent misery  would  have  been  the  result;  but  being  driven 
from  thence,  death  intervened,  putting  an  end  to  man's 
wickedness  and  woe. 

People  talk  of  eternal  life  in  misery,  hell  fire  torments, 
in  boiling  chaldrons  of  sulphur,  or  never-ending  remorse  of 
an  evil  conscience,  let  them  call  it  what  they  may,  the 
word  of  God  tells  us  that  man  was  expelled  from  access  to 
the  "tree  of  life"  in  order  to  prevent  him  from  eternally 
living  in  sin  and  misery;  hence,  all  theories  of  eternal 
existence  in  perpetual  torments  inflicted  by  devils  and 
demons  or  anything  else,  vanish  like  dew  before  the  morn- 
ing sun,  being  opposed,  as  they  are,  to  the  entire  scripture 
testimony.  Eternal  life  comes  through  Christ,  and  through 
Him  only — not  eternal  life  in  misery  and  wickedness,  but 
eternal  life  in  happiness  and  virtue. 

The  sentence  "  dying  thou  shalt  die,"  being  pronounced 
on  Adam  before  offspring  had  been  born,  he  fell  under  the 
curse  carrying  all  his  posterity  with  him. 

"Therefore,  as  through  one  man  sin  entered  into  the  world,  and 
death  through  sin  ;  and  so  death  passed  upon  all  men  through  him,  in 
whom  all  sinned.  .  .  .  But  not  as  the  trespass,  so  also  is  the  free 
gift.  For  if  by  the  trespass  of  one  the  many  died,  much  moie  did 
the  grace  of  God,  and  the  gift  by  grace  of  one  man,  JESUS 
Christ,  abound  unto  many.  And  not  as  through  one  that  sinned, 
so  is  the  gift  :  for  the  judgment  came  of  one  unto  condemnation,  but 
the  free  gift  came  of  many  trespasses  unto  justification.  For  if,  by  the 
trespass  of  one,  death  reigned  through  the  one ;  much  more  shall 
they  that  receive  the  abundance  of  grace  and  of  the  gift  of  righteous- 
ness reign  in  life  through  the  One,  even  JESUS  Christ.  So  then  as 
through  the  respass  of  one,  the  judgment  came  unto  all  men  to  con- 
demnation ;  even  so  through  the  righteousness  of  one  the  free  gift  came 
unto  all  men  to  justification  of  life.  For  as  through  the  one  man's  dis- 
obedience the  many  were  made  sinners,  even  so  through  the  obedience 
of  the  One  shall  many  be  made  righteous. "  Rom.  v.  12-19. 


128  STUDIES    ON    THE 

No  item  in  the  writings  of  Paul  has  been  more  forcibly 
presented  than  the  fact  so  often  repeated  in  these  texts, 
that  all  men  are  doomed  to  eternal  perdition,  because  of 
Adam's  fall,  and  can  only  be  extricated  therefrom  through 
the  re'demplion  that  is  in  Christ  JESUS. 

Do  we  then  comprehend  this  awful  truth  of  having  been 
born  in  bondage, — spirit  and  body  sold  unto  sin?  Is  it 
plain  to  us  that  every  son  and  daughter  of  Adam  inherits 
this  terrible  relation?  Not  alone  is  sin  striving  for  mas- 
tery, and  dragging  us  down  as  poor,  weak  mortals,  but 
even  before  we  are  able  to  utter  farther  or  mother,  we  are 
born  with  a  condemnation  resting  on  our  heads,  and  could 
we  be  perfect  in  works — which  is  not  possible — death,  eter- 
nal extinction  at  the  judgment,  must,  in  consequence  of 
Adamic  condemnation,  be  our  unavoidable  destiny,  unless 
taken  out  of  Adam  and  brought  into  relation  to  Christ. 

Mark  the  consoling  words  of  Paul  : 

"  For  as  in  Adam  all  die,  so  also  all  in  Christ  shall  he  made  alive. " 
i  Cor.  xv.  22. 

All  whom,  be  made  alive  ?  all  mankind  ?  no.  "All  in 
Christ." 

"Christ  the  nrstfruits  ;  then  they  that  are  Christ's,  at  His  coming." 
i  Cor.  xv.  22,  23. 

This  accords  with  the  Creator's  words  to  the  woman  after 
the  fall  : 

"I  will  greatly  multiply  thy  sorrows  and  thy  conception."  Gen. 
iii.  16, 

plainly  informing  the  woman,  that  a  vast  majority  of  her 
offspring  would  be  as  prone  to  sinning  as  she  was,  and 
could  not  therefore  be  counted  among  those  preordained 
to  fill  up  the  earth,  and  in  the  course  of  ages  to  carry  out 
the  original  plan. 

"  God  did  visit  the  Gentiles,  to  take  out  of  them  a  people  for  His 
NAME."  Acts  xv.  14. 


BOOK    OF    REVELATION  1 29 

It  is  in  the  process  of  taking  out  this  people  that  we  are 
so  greatly  interested  ;  our  eternal  salvation  or  damnation 
depending  thereon  it  becomes  a  part  of  us.  Being  macle 
alive  in  the  gospel  sense,  means  more  than  coming  out  of 
dust  revived  mortals,  as  we  shall  see. 

We  are  told  of  God's  creation  days,  that  the  evening  and 
the  morning  were  each  day — (Gen.  chap,  i.),  dawn  follow- 
ing darkness.  Likewise,  in  God's  dealing  with  frail  hu- 
manity— darkness  precedes  light  ;  in  the  hour  of  densest 
darkness,  when  man  fell  under  the  terrible  sentence  : — 
"  Dying  thou  shalt  die,"  Gen.  ii.  17, — a  ray  of  hope,  sure 
and  constant,  shining  out  from  God,  glimmered  upon  life's 
horizon  ;  dimly  it  may  be  in  Adam's  days,  but  growing 
brighter  and  brighter  as  the  generations  rolled  on. 

"  God  said  unto  the  serpent  :  .  .  .  I  will  put  enmity  between 
thee  and  the  woman,  and  between  thy  seed  and  her  seed  ;  it  shall  bruise 
thy  head,  but  thou  shalt  bruise  his  heel."  Gen.  iii.  14,  15. 

See  pages  36  and  37,  as  to  who  the  serpent  is.  Had  the 
serpent  been  literal,  as  some  suppose,  our  Savior's  mission 
would  have  been  a  work  of  literal  snake  killing,  instead  of 
the  victorious  battle  against  sin,  culminating  in  His  death 
on  Mount  Calvary. 

The  serpent,  the  cause  of  their  misery,  should  have  his 
head  bruised  (crushed)  ;  this  was  nothing  less  than  a  prom- 
ise of  redemption,  and  was  doubtless  so  understood  by  the 
woman  ;  she,  when  delivered  of  her  first  son,  exclaimed  : 
"  I  have  gotten  a  man  from  the  Lord,"  Gen.  iv.  i;  or,  as 
some  translators  have  it  :  "I  possess  a  man  who  is  the 
Lord." 

Resting  upon   the   Lord's   promise  that  her  seed  should 
"  bruise  the  serpent's  head,"  and  having  no  further  acquaint- 
ance with  the  plan,  she,  hoping  for  immediate  redemption, 
naturally  expected  her  first-born*  to  be  the  deliverer. 
9 


130  STUDIES  ON  THE 

In  studying  God's  great  plan  of  redemption  as  extended 
to  fallen  humanity,  we  ask,  Why  was  it  necessary  that  our 
Redeemer  should  be  the  woman's  seed  ?  Could  not  an 
angel,  greater  in  might  and  power  than  the  woman's  seed, 
have  descended  from  heaven,  and  crushed  the  serpent's 
head  ?  No  !  impossible  !  An  angel,  or  even  the  whole 
angelic  host,  were  utterly  powerless  to  grapple  with  the 
hydra-headed  monster  !  Sin  had  humanity  in  its  terrible 
grasp,  the  law  had  been  violated,  and  humanity  con- 
demned ;  sentence  once  pronounced  must  be  executed, 
and  a  deliverer  must  be  related  to  humanity  in  order  to 
expiate  the  sentence. 

This  promise  of  redemption  was  renewed  to  Abraham : 

"  In  thee  and  in  thy  seed  shall  all  the  families  [nations]  of  the  earth 
be  blessed."  Gen.  xii.  3  ;  xxii.  18. 

And  again,  to  David : 

"  When  thy  days  are  fulfilled,  and  thou  shall  sleep  with  thy  fathers, 
I  will  set  up  thy  seed  after  thee,  which  shall  proceed  out  of  thy  bowels, 
and  I  will  establish  His  kingdom  ;  He  shall  build  a  house  for  My  name, 
and  I  will  establish  His  kingdom  forever.  I  will  be  His  Father,  and  He 
shall  be  My  Son."  2  Sam.  vii.  12-14. 

Here  it  will  be  seen  that  God's  promise  to  David  con- 
tains more  light  on  the  subject  that  any  previous  proph- 
ecy. Mother  Eve  and  Abraham  the  patriarch,  were  sim- 
ply informed  that  their  offspring  would  be  the  means  of 
blessing  ;  but  to  David,  "the  man  after  God's  own  heart," 
the  Spirit  showed  greater  light  ;  the  dawning  light  of  day 
becoming  brighter  as  sunrise  approached,  the  Spirit  in- 
structed David,  that  the  Redeemer  was  to  be  not  only 
David's  son,  but  also  the  Son  of  the  great  YAHWEH  in 
heaven.  And  truly,  who  could  be  better  fitted  to  establish 
peace  between  God  and  man,  than  one  by  birth  related  to 
them  both. 


BOOK    OF    REVELATION  131 

The  fulfillment  of  this  prediction  took  place  in  the  days 
of  Herod,  when  God,  by  His  Spirit  of  power  caused  a 
virgin  to  conceive,  and  bring  forth  a  man-child,  Luke  i. 
30-35,  directly  the  Son  of  God,  and  the  Son  of  Mary,  by 
virtue  of  whose  lineage  He  was  the  true  descendant  of 
David's  royal  house. 

"  Let  us  make  man  in  our  image  after  our  likeness, " 
said  the  Lord;  and  here  the  "Man"  was,  lowly,  humble  and 
in  a  manger;  "for  a  little  while  lower  than  the  angels," 
Heb.  ii.  9,  yet,  "being  the  brightness  of  the  Father's  glory, 
and  the  express  image  of  His  (hypostasios)  person,"  Heb. 
i.  3,  the  edict  went  forth: 

"Let  all  the  angels  worship  Him,"  Heb.  i.  6;  Psalm  xcvii.  7. 

Nor  were  the  heavens  slow  in  obeying  the  command,  a 
hest  of  angels  sang  His  praises  the  very  moment  He  came 
into  existence.  Luke  ii.  13,  14. 

Let  us  now  glance  back  to  the  days  of  Moses.  Jacob 
having  gone  down  to  Egypt  in  search  of  food,  became 
a  great  nation,  suffering  cruel  bondage  and  affliction 
und-er  heathen  tyrants  ;  their  cries  reaching  the  throne  of 
mercy,  brought  a  deliverer  in  the  person  of  Moses,  who  by 
the  Spirit  of  God  led  them  through  the  waters,  even  to 
Mount  Sinai,  where  God  gave  them  a  law,  with  the  promise 
that  they  should  be  a  holy  people, —  His  peculiar  treasure 
above  all  other  nations,  if  they  would  keep  His  command- 
ments. Ex.  xix.  5,  6.  To  this  they  readily  agreed,  but  as 
with  the  law  in  the  garden  of  Eden,  so  with  the  law  from 
Mount  Sinai;  no  sooner  was  man  brought  in  contact  there- 
with, than  flesh  got  the  upper  hand  and  man  failed  again. 

The  Sinaitic  law  contains  two  striking  observations: 

ist.     "The    man    that  doeth  the  things  contained  in  the  law  shall 
live  in  them."     Lev.  xviii.  5  ;  Gal.  iii.  12. 


132  STUDIES    ON    THE 

2nd.  "  Cursed  is  every  one  who  continueth  not  in  all  things  written 
in  the  book  of  the  law  to  do  them."  Gal.  iii.  10;  Deut.  xxvii.  26. 

The  transgression  of  God's  law,  as  proclaimed  in  thun- 
der voices  from  the  mountain,  brought  another  curse  upon 
humanity,  multiplying  sin  upon  sin;  condemnation  through 
personal  transgression,  added  to  condemnation  inherited 
from  Adam. 

Of  this  Paul  speaks,  saying  : 
"  Law  entered  that  the  offence  might  abound."     Rom.  v.  20. 

That  is,  law  entered  that  sin  might  appear  in  all  its  abomi- 
nation, that  men  might  truly  and  fully  comprehend  their 
utter  inability  to  fulfill  God's  perfect  law,  and  be  con- 
strained to  look  for  life  eternal  from  some  other  source. 
Hence,  the  law,  added  to  the  promise  because  of  trans- 
gression, Gal.  iii.  19,  became  our  schoolmaster  to  bring  us 
unto  Ghrist,  that  we  might  be  justified  by  faith.  Gal.  iii.  24. 

"  For  what  the  law  could  not  do,  in  that  it  was  weak  through  the 
flesh,  God  sending  [did  send]  His  own  Son  in  the  likeness  of  sinful 
flesh,  and.  for  sin  [sacrifice  for  sin],  condemning  sin  in  the  flesh." 
Rom.  viii.  3. 

The  law  containing  the  penalty  of  death  for  even  the 
slightest  offence,  contained  also,  as  seen  above,  a  promise 
of  life  eternal  for  perfect  obedience  ;  and  under  this  law, 
subject  to  its  penalty,  and  partaker  of  its  promises,  our 
great  Redeemer  came  into  existence — 

"  Made  [•yevop.evbv,  genomenon,  born,  or  generated]  of  a  woman, 
made  under  the  law."  Gal.  iv.  4. 

Many  persons  though  sufficiently  enlightened  to  reject 
the  doctrine  of  a  pre-existing  Christ,  stagger  at  the  thought 
of  His  being  born  under  law,  thinking  that  if  born  under 
law,  He  would  be  a  sinner  ;  hence,  falling  back  upon  the 
theory  of  immaculate  conception,  they  think  that  Paul  did 


BOOK    OF    REVELATION  133 

not  mean  just  what  he  said  in  Galatians  iv.  4,  and  so  at- 
tempt to  put  a  milder  construction,  as  they  term  it,  upon 
the  apostolic  statement. 

All  will  admit  that  Mary,  like  other  women,  was  born 
under  the  Adamic  sentence,  "Dying,  thou  shalt  die  ;"  and 
if  her  offspring  did  not  sustain  the  same  relationship,  then 
we  must  conclude  that  law,  though  having  a  legal  claim 
on  all  Adam's  posterity,  had,  in  the  case  of  Christ,  been 
cheated;  that  one  of  its  prisoners  had  escaped,  so  to  speak. 
But  if  law  could  be  set  aside  in  the  person  of  Christ,  then 
why  not  annul  it  in  other  cases  ?  thus  breaking  down  the 
barrier  altogether. 

Turning  to  Hebrews  ii.  14,  we  read: 

"  Forasmuch  then  as  the  children  are  partakers  of  flesh  and  blood, 
He  also  Himself  likewise  took  part  of  the  same  ;  that  through  death 
He  might  destroy  him  that  had  the  power  of  death,  that  is.  the 
accuser" — [SidfSoXos,  diabolos,  sin  by  law.] 

When  told  in  such  plain  words  that  Christ  took  part 
of  the  same  flesh  and  blood  as  His  brethren, — not  merely 
something  looking  like  it,  but  the  same,  we  must  either  be- 
lieve Him  born  under  the  Adamic  penalty,  or  disbelieve 
the  words  of  Paul. 

Did  this  partaking  of  condemned  flesh  and  blood  make 
Christ  a  sinner  ?  No  !  "Sin  is  the  transgression  of  law," 
i  John  iii.  4,  and  He  could  fearlessly  challenge  the  Jews 
to  "convict  Him  of  sin. "  John  viii.  46- 

He  partook  of  condemned  flesh  and  blood,  like  unto 
His  brethren,"  Heb.  ii.  14,  that  "through  death  He  might 
destroy  the  diabolos  or  accuser;"  that  is,  sin  in  the  human 
heart,  that  manifested  itself  in  violating  God's  law.  "  Law 
entered,  that  the  offence  might  abound,"  Rom.  v.  20,  but 
in  the  case  of  Christ  who  fulfilled  all  the  law's  demands,  sin 
did  not  abound. 


134  STUDIES     ON    THE 

It  will  be  seen  that  Christ  sustained  a  two-fold  relation; 
being  the  Son  of  God,  and  a  perfect  observer  of  God's  law, 
He  stood  related  to  eternal  life;  and  by  descent  from  the 
Adamic  family  on  His  mother's  side,  He  was  related  to 
penal  death,  without  which  He  never  could  have  expiated 
the  sentence  ;  because  law  demanded  that  which  was 
condemned,  nor  could  its  claim  be  satisfied  with  any- 
thing less. 

When  the  "woman's  seed,"  Christ,  had  been  slain  to 
satisfy  the  demands  of  law,  the  sentence,  "  Dying  thou, 
shalt  die,"  resting  on  Him  as  the  son  of  man,  was  expiated, 
and  law  and  justice  were  satisfied,  but  Christ  was  dead  ; 
and  had  He  sustained  no  higher  relationship  He  must  have 
remained  eternally  in  the  grave.  As  the  Son  of  YAHWEH, 
He  stood  related  to  life  eternal,  hence,  His  resurrection  in 
perfect  harmony  with  justice.  The  son  of  Mary  had  ceased 
to  be,  the  Son  of  God  alone  survived.  "Christ  is  no  longer 
known  after  the  flesh,"  2  Cor.  v.  16,  having  died  out  of 
that  relationship. 

"  But  Christ  being  come  a  high  priest  of  good  things  to  come,  by  a 
greater  and  more  perfect  tabernacle,  not  made  with  hands,  that  is  to 
say,  not  of  this  building  ;  neither  by  the  blood  of  goats  and  calves,  but 
by  His  Own  blood  He  entered,  once  for  all,  into  the  holy  place,  having 
obtained  eternal  redemption. "  Heb.  ix.  n,  12. 

The  words  "for  us,"  at  the  end  of  verse  12,  are  in 
italics,  and  not  in  the  Greek. 

This  was  typified  in  the  Mosaic  system,  where  a  Hebrew 
bondman  having  sufficient  means,  was  allowed  to  redeem 
himself.  Lev.  xxv.  49.  Christ  possessed  a  relation  to  life 
eternal  through  divine  begettal,  and  having  perfectly 
obeyed  His  Father's  law  in  spiritual  detail,  became  rich  in- 
deed. In  His  death  He  paid  the  penalty  resting  on  Him 
[and  all  in  Him]  as  a  flesh  and  blood  man,  and  being  able 


BOOK    OF    REVELATION  135 

to  draw  abundantly  from  the  fountain  of  life,  He  burst 
asunder  the  doors  of  the  charnel-house,  and  rose  victorious 
the  third  day. 

"  Great  is  the  mystery  (revealed  secret)  of  godliness," 
i  Tim.  iii.  16,  whereby  the  victory  is  won  !  No  wonder 
that  the  heavens  echoed  gladness  and  joy  at  His  birth, 
Luke  ii.  8-14,  and  the  very  stones  over  which  He  subse- 
quently passed  were  ready  to  proclaim  His  praises.  Luke 
xix.  40. 

Let  us  pass  on.  Having  seen  how  Christ,  by  His  per- 
fect obedience  and  heavenly  relationship,  redeemed  Him- 
self, and  passed  out  from  the  state  of  inherited  condemna- 
tion ;  we  naturally  ask,  How  are  we  thereby  affected  ? 
We  have  all  violated  God's  law,  and  are  still  under  con- 
demnation ;  the  penalty,  "  Dying,  thou  shalt  die,"  has  not 
been  meted  out  to  us  ;  we  have  not  fulfilled  God's  law  as 
Christ  did,  nor  have  we  personally  suffered  with  Him  upon 
Mount  Calvary  ;  yet  we  claim  to  have  been  redeemed. 
Paul  says  :  "  I  am  crucified  with  Christ,  nevertheless  I 
live."  Gal.  ii.  20. 

What  does  the  apostle  mean  ?  he  certainly  was  not 
literally  crucified  with  Christ,  on  the  contrary,  he  was  at 
that  same  time  our  Savior's  enemy,  nor  had  he  suffered 
death  at  any  subsequent  period,  yet  he  claimed  to  "have 
been  crucified  with  Christ  !"  Is  not  his  language  dark  and 
mysterious  ? 

We  read  in  Romans  vi.  2,  "  How  shall  we  who  are  dead 
to  sin,  live  any  longer  therein  ?"  and  we  ask,  How  are  we 
dead  to  sin?  What  is  meant  by  it?  Some  say  that  we  die 
to  sin  when  expiring  from  old  age  or  accident,  but  that  this 
is  not  what  Paul  meant  is  evident  from  the  fact,  that  he,  a 
living  man,  wrote  to  living  people.  Others  tell  us,  that 
"  dying  to  sin"  signifies  "a  change  of  mind,"  or  "  change  of 


136  STUDIES    ON     THE 

heart,"  as  it  is  termed,  a  complete  reformation  from  sinful 
acts,  and  call  it  "  sanctification. "  But  a  glance  at  the 
apostolic  teachings  will  convince  the  candid  reader  that  no 
such  idea  of  "  sanctification"  existed  in  the  primitive 
churches,  and  yet  they  had,  so  Paul  affirms,  "died  to  sin." 

The  following  verse  unravels  the  mystery: 

"Know  ye  not,  that  so  many  of  us  as  were  baptized  into  JESUS 
Christ  were  baptized  into  His  death.  Rom.  vi.  3. 

Comparing  this  text  with  Galatians  iii.  27  :  "For  as  many 
of  you  as  have  been  baptized  into  Christ  have  put  on 
Christ."  The  reader  will  see  that  having  been  baptized 
into  Christ's  death,  we  have  put  on  His  death  ;  hence, 
when  baptized  into  Christ,  His  death  becomes  our  death  ; 
and  we  are  placed,  as  if  we  had  died  and  again  been 
brought  to  life.  Truly,  then  might  Paul  say :  "  I  am  cru- 
cified with  Christ,  nevertheless  I  live."  Gal.  ii.  20. 

And  well  might  he  address  the  Romans,  "who  had  been 
baptized  into  the  death  of  Christ,"  that  they  "  had  died  to 
sin;"  Christ  having  died  to  sin  for  us,  we  die  to  sin  in  Him. 

"  For  I  through  the  law  have  died  to  law,  ...  I  am  crucified 
with  Christ ;  nevertheless,  I  live  ;  yet  not  I,  but  Christ  liveth  in  me  : 
and  the  life  which  I  now  live  in  the  flesh,  I  live  by  the  faith  of  the  Son 
of  God,  Who  loved  me,  and  gave  Himself  for  me."  Gal.  ii.  19,  20, 

"  For  the  love  of  Christ  constraineth  us  ;  because  we  thus  judge,  that 
if  one  died  for  all,  then  all  died;  and  He  died  for  all,  that  they  who 
live,  should  not  henceforth  live  unto  themselves,  but  unto  Him  Who 
died  for  them  and  rose  rgain."  2  Cor.  v.  14,  15. 

"  For  if  we  have  been  planted  together  in  the  likeness  of  His  death, 
(by  baptism  thereinto),  we  shall  also  be  in  the  likeness  of  His  resurrec- 
tion ;  knowing  this,  that  our  old  man  was  crucified  with  Him,  that  the 
body  of  sin  might  be  rendered  powerless  (KaTapYtjOij,  katargeth$),  that 
henceforth  we  should  serve  sin  no  longer  ;  for  he  that  is  dead  is  free 
from  sin."  Rom.  vi.  5-7. 


BOOK    OF     REVELATION  13? 

We  died  to  sin  in  Christ,  and  were  ^resurrected  to  life 
in  Him — a  new  birth  indeed  ! 

"  Therefore,  if  any  man  be  in  Christ,  he  is  a  new  creature  ;  old  things 
have  passed  away  ;  behold,  all  thing  have  become  new.  And  all  things 
are  of  God,  Who  hath  reconciled  us  to  Himself  by  JESUS  Christ.  .  .  . 
For  Him  Who  knew  no  sin,  He  hath  made  to  be  sin  for  us  ;  that  we 
might  become  the  righteousness  of  God  in  Him."  2  Cor.  v.  17-21. 

Thus  the  race  to  have  dominion  in  the  earth  is  de- 
veloped, not  merely  by  a  flesh  and  blood  relation  to  the 
earthly  Adam,  who,  by  disobedience,  lost  his  right  to  rule; 
but  by  a  new  birth,  a  re-begettal,  bringing  us  into  relation 
with  the  second  federal  Head,  "the  Man  from  heaven," 
i  Cor.  xv.  47,  Who  subdued  all  things  unto  Himself,  and 
reigns  supreme,  Eph.  i.  20,  21,  we  become  "joint  heirs  with 
Him,"  Rom.  viii.  17  ;  Rev.  iii.  21. 

Adam,  when  created,  was  told  to  subdue  the  earth,  but 
no  such  edict  will  go  forth  to  those  who  shall  rule  upon 
the  new  earth;  that  work  will  all  have  been  accomplished 
by  the  One  of  the  power  and  might,  namely,  He  Who 
could  say  to  His  chosen  little  flock :  "  Be  of  good  cheer,  I 
have  overcome  the  world,"  John  xvi  33;  hence,  He  will 
not  at  that  day  commission  them  to  go  and  subdue,  but  in- 
vite them  to  "  come  and  inherit  the  kingdom  prepared  for 
them  from  the  foundation  of  the  kosmos."  Matt.  xxv.  34. 

Some  one  may  perhaps  ask :  If  dominion  is  to  be  had 
upon  the  "new  earth,"  what  kind  of  a  kingdom  will  it  be  ? 
We  have  indeed  often  been  asked:  What  or  who  are  the 
subjects  to  be  ruled  ?  We  reply  by  asking :  What  was  the 
Adamic  family  to  rule  over?  Everything  that  moves  upon 
the  earth,  and  that  dominion  lost  to  Adam  because  of  sin, 
was  given  to  Christ,  and  will  by  Him  be  given  to  all  that 
are  His  in  the  day  when  He  shall  return  to  gather  His 
Own.  Matt.  xxv.  34. 


138  STUDIES    ON    THE 

The  dominion  of  God's  immortal  people  in  the  "new 
earth"  will  not  be  a  rulership  over  mortal  subjects,  as  sup- 
posed by  Christadelphians  and  other  age-to-come  advocates, 
but  a  full  dominion  of  the  earth  with  all  its  contents. 

The  details  of  that  kingdom  not  having  been  revealed, 
we  presume  not  to  intrude  therein.  "Now  are  we  the  Sons 
of  God,  and  it  doth  not  yet  appear  what  we  shall  be:  but 
we  know  that,  when  He  shall  appear,  we  shall  be  like 
Him;  for  we  shall  see  Him  as  He  is."  i  Johniii.  2.  Being 
assured  that  "God  will  wipe  away  all  tears  from  all  eyes," 
Rev.  xxi.  4,  further  questions  are  needless;  it  will  be  a 
blessed  and  joyful  state  ;  let  us  strive  then  by  His  power 
to  enter  there,  with  full  assurance,  that  a  seat  within  its 
glorious  portals,  will  far  more  than  reward  our  toil. 


BOOK    OF    REVELATION  139 


CONCLUSION. 


"  Many  shall  run  to  and  fro,  and  knowledge   shall  be  increased. " 
Dan.  xii.  4. 

THAT  we  live  in  an  age  fulfilling  this  prophecy,  is  an 
indisputable  fact  ;  knowledge  has  been  increased  to  an 
extent  that  would  astonish  even  him  who,  two  thousand  five 
hundred  years  ago,  uttered  the  prophecy.  Men  do  run  to 
and  fro;  a  never  ceasing,  nervous,  bustle  and  commotion 
seems  to  stir  all  civilization,  and  make  men  run  to  and 
fro,  like  ants  when  their  hill  is  broken  ;  hurry,  hurry,  is 
the  watchword  of  today. 

I  have  therefore  endeavored  to  make  this  work  as  con- 
densed as  possible  without  minimizing  its  force,  or  losing 
its  aim.  What  has  been  said,  might  doubtless  have  been 
better  said  ;  but,  aware,  that  the  zealous  truth-seeking 
reader  values  and  appreciates  truth  rather  than  flowery 
language,  I  recommend  these  pages  to  the  gospel-loving 
public,  courting  no  flatteries,  and  fearing  no  criticism  . 
May  the  grace  of  God,  and  peace  of  our  Lord  Christ 
JESUS  be  with  us  all. 

THE  WRITER. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

PAGE 
The  Seven  Churches  .  .  .  .  .  .6 

No  Future  Restoration  for  the  Jews      .  .  8 


CHAPTER  II. 

"  The   hundred  and  forty- four  thousand"   .  .  .  .10 

Destiuction  of  Sin  and  Sinners  when  Christ   Returns.  .      14 

Israel's  Leavened  Offering  and  its  Antitype  .  .     15,  21,  27 

The  General  Ingathering              .             .  .  .  .21 

The  Sealed  Book  in   God's   Hand          .  .  .  .24 

CHAPTER  III. 

The   War  in  Heaven             .             .             .  .  .  .29 

The  Stars  of  Heaven      .                          .  .  .  -30 

The  Woman  in   Heaven  .             .             .  .  .  .     31 

The  Man-child       .             .             .             .  .  ,  .33 

The  Crown  of  Twelve  Stars      .             .  .  -33 

The  Moon  Under  Her    Feet        .             .  .  .  -33 

The  Dragon            .             .             .             .  .  .  -35 

The  War   in  Heaven        .             .             .  .  .  .     36 

The  Seven  Heads               .             .             .  .  .  .42 

The  Dragon's  Tail              .             .             .  .  .43 

The   Woman  in  the  Wilderness  .             .  .  .  .46 

The  Bottomless  Pit                       .            .  .  .  .48 

140 


CONTENTS  141 

CHAPTER    IV. 

PAGE 

The  Great  Harlot                ......  54 

The  Seven  Headed  Beast           •             •             •             •             •  55 

The  Scarlet  Colored  Beast         .....  64 

Antitypical   Babylon       ••••..  59 

The  Ten  Horns               ....  67 

CHAPTER  V. 

The   Battle  of  Armageddon         .  .  .  .  .69 

The  Great  River  Euphrates                    ....  70 

The  Three  Frog-like  Spirits   .....  72 

Armageddon        .....  74 

CHAPTER  VI. 

The  Two-horned  Beast     ...  <77 

The  Image  of  the  Beast           .             .             .             .~~         .  78 

The  Mark  of  the  Beast             ...  82 

CHAPTER  VII. 

The  Two   Witnesses         ......  89 

The  Sackcloth                ......  92 

The  Tabernacle  in  Heaven       •             •             «             •             .  95 

CHAPTER    VIII. 

"The  First   Resurrection,"  and   the  Millennial  Reign  .             .  96 

Redemption,   the   First  Resurrection    ....  99 

The  Thrones      .....  IOI 

No  Promise  of   Peace,  or  .Tranquility  in   a  Millennium        .  104 


CHAPTER   IX. 

The  Kingdom   of  Heaven  .  .  .  uo 


142 


CONTENTS 


PAGE 

The  Ten  Toes  Not  Smitten  When  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven 

Was  Set  Up  .  .  .  .  .  .112 

Christ  Now  King  of  Kings      .  .  .  .  .       114 

David's  Throne,  God's  Throne,  and  Christ's  Throne,  'All 

One  .  .  .  .  .  .  .117 

Two   Aspects   of  the  Kingdom  .  .  .  .118 

CHAPTER  X. 


The   Holy  City       . 
Not  a  Literal    City 


121 
122 


CHAPTER    XL 


Redemption 

The  Fall  of  Man 

Adamic  Condemnation   Hereditary 

Christ    Born   Under   Law 

Christ   Redeemed   Himself 

We  Die  in  Christ   When   Baptise  1 

Dominion  in    the  New   Earth   . 

Conclusion  .  . 


ERRATA 


On   Page  18,   Line  5   from  top— read  "perfect  ones,"   in- 
stead of  "per;ect  one." 

On    Page  37,   Line   9   from  top — read,   "  serpent,  as   it  is 
written,"  instead  of  "serpent,      It  is  \\ritten  :" 

On  Page  54,  Line  9   fiom   top— read,  "on  its  heads,"   in- 
stead  of  "on'  its  head." 

On    Page  78,  Line    II    from    top — read,  "that  the  church 
has,"  ins  ead  of  "  ti;at  church  had." 


ian  %iterature^ft 


WM.  LEE  STROUD,  EDITOR 


Agnosticism  vs.  Christianity. 
Analysis  of  Christianity. 

Definition  of  Faith;  The  Trinity;  Origin  of  Jesus  Christ ;  The 
Divine  Family,  or  Creation  of  God;  The  Source  of  Life,  Jesus' 
Name  and  Right  to  be  Worshiped  ;  The  Logos  or  Spirit  ;  Knowl- 
edge necessary  to  Faith,  etc. 

Angeis  that  Sinned — Where  are  they? 
Apostolic  Succession. 

Christ's  Commission  to  the  Apostles — Four  versions  of  it. 

Christian  Science — so  called. 

Destiny  of  the  Unjust. 

How  Christ  Came  Down  from  Heaven. 

The  Manna  in  the  Wilderness  ;  The  Living  Bread  from  Heaven  ; 
Christ's  Begettal;  Breaking  of  Bread;  The  Promise  to  Abraham. 

How  the  Apostles  Forgave  Sins. 
Immortal  Soul. 
Modern  Demon  Worship. 
Mystery  of  the  Cross  explained. 

The  Natural  Man;  The  necessity  of  Dying  to  Law;  The  New 
Covenant;  Christ  without  Sin,  yet  under  Condemnation;  Baptism. 

Name,  The— Eternal  Life. 
Nature  and  Revelation. 
Origin  of  Sin, 

Transgression  ;  Enmity  between  the  Serpent  and  Seed  of  the 
\\  nan;  Eve's  Fall  ;  End  of  the  Unjust  ;  Personal  Devil  ;  Law 
>  jessary  to  Sin;  No  Immortality  without  Regeneration  in  Christ. 

Sabbath,  The. 

The  Six  Days  of  Creation;  The  Sabbath  of  YAHWEH  ;  Hebrew 
Sabbath,  a  sign;  The  Weekly  Sabbath  Instituted  after  the  Exodus  ; 
The  Old  Covenant  superseded  by  the  New  ;  Shadows  Done  Away. 

Satan  and  Demons — Who  and  What  are  they? 

Various  uses  of  the  word  diabolos  ;  The  Prince  of  the  World; 
Christ's  Temptation.  The  whole  an  exhaustive  essay. 

What  is  True  Religion  ? 

Excellencies  of  the  Sacred  Writings;  No  Immortality  Without 
Christ  ;  The  Resurrection;  The  Narrow  Way. 

Word  made  Flesh. 


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BIBLES    AND    BIBLICAL    WORKS. 

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Blaikies'  Manual  of  Bible  History, 1.50 

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Book  of  Joshua,  Maclear 60 

Book  of  Judges,  Lias 90 

1st  and  2d  Samuel,  Kilpatrick,  each 90 

1st  and  2d  Kings,  Lumby,  each 90 

Book  of  Job,  Davidson 1.25 

Ecclesiastes,  Plumptre 1.25 

Jeremiah,  Streane 1.15 

Hosea,  Cheyne 75 

Obadiah  and  Jonah,  Perowne 65 

Micah,  Cheyne 40 

Haggai  and  Zachariah,  Perowne 75 

Matthew  (2  maps),  Carr,     (In  Greek,  $1.15) 65 

Mark  (4  maps),  Maclear,     (In  Greek,  $1.15) 65 

Luke  (4  maps),  Farrar,     (In  Greek,  $1.50.) 1.10 

John  (4  maps),  Plummer,     (In  Greek,  $1.50) 1.10 

Acts  (4  maps),  Lumby,      (In  Greek,  $1.50) 1.10 

Romans,  Moule 90 

1st  and  2d  Corinthians,  Lias,  each 50 

Ephesians,  Moule ,  , 65 

Hebrews,  Farrar,     (Greek  preparing.) 90 

James,  Plumptre 40 

Peter  and  Jude,  Plumptre ...., 65 

1st,  2d,  and  3rd  John,  Plummer , 90 


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